


Dancing Queen

by BeccaBear93



Series: Dancing Queen Universe Fics [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Awkward Cloud Strife, Blow Jobs, Cloud Strife Learns to Communicate, Coming In Pants, Crack Treated Seriously, Crossdressing Cloud Strife, Dancing, Dom Andrea Rhodea, Dry Humping, Eventual Smut, Face-Fucking, Facials, Feminization, Fluff, Good Boyfriend Andrea Rhodea, Hair-pulling, Hand Jobs, Honeybee Inn, Honeybee Inn Family, Kink Discovery, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, On Hiatus, Praise Kink, Seventh Heaven (Compilation of FFVII), Slight Voyeurism, Slow Burn, Submissive Cloud Strife, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 137,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23765446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaBear93/pseuds/BeccaBear93
Summary: Cloud enjoys his performance at the Honeybee Inn a lot more than he'd like to admit, and with a little push from Aerith, he accepts Andrea's invitation to keep coming back.AKA: The one where Cloud gets to actually have some fun for once and learn to love himself (and someone else along the way), everyone makes their own family, and nobody dies.ON HIATUS.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Barret Wallace, Andrea Rhodea/Cloud Strife, Honey Bee Boys & Cloud Strife, Honey Bee Girls & Cloud Strife, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife
Series: Dancing Queen Universe Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155686
Comments: 282
Kudos: 459





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just loved the Honeybee Inn sequence so much that I had to write something about it, particularly about Cloud actually enjoying it and getting to have a nice time for once in his life haha. So that's what this first chapter is. And then the idea just grew and grew in my mind and I have no idea how long it'll be at this point, but you can expect plenty of disgustingly fluffy Andrea/Cloud, crossdressing, Aerith & Cloud as the ultimate brotp (because they were my OTP in the original and even if I'm writing a different ship, I have to include their fantastic dynamic somehow), and cheerful ignorance of all the angst that is canon after Chapter 9. 
> 
> Thank you to the lovely folks on tumblr that encouraged me to post this, especially Rellanka for the pep talk and for filling half the Andrea/Cloud tag on your own so far!
> 
> And a super special thanks to teafaun for constantly letting me ramble about this wonderful game and this pairing and fic, and for reading it all and giving such sweet feedback. I mentioned at one point that I never thought my first FFVII fic would've been about Cloud being a dancing queen (and that that's actually the trophy name), and she insisted I use it as the title, so. Here you go, this one's for you, Jill. :)

When Aerith insists that he should dress as a woman to save Tifa, Cloud can only assume that she’s lost her mind. As they head inside the Honeybee Inn, he considers it more carefully, though, and it starts to make sense in some strange way. So he sucks it up and tries to figure out how to win Andrea Rhodea’s approval, because despite Aerith’s suggestion, he’s sure that it won’t be as simple as just explaining the situation and asking for his help. He wouldn’t be a member of Don Corneo’s Trio if it was that easy.

Luckily (or not), judging by the responses of the women waiting for him inside, Andrea seems to already have his own ideas about what Cloud can do to impress him. The Honeygirls drag him into a room to practice his dance moves, and he groans but obliges. Bringing his sword into it is really just him fucking around and taking a petty stab at the whole situation, but they just continue to giggle and compliment him. He almost wonders if they’d actually let him bring it onstage.

Afterwards, they drag him into the room where the performance will take place, and he’s mortified to see some familiar faces. He recognizes Sam by his hat in one of the booths, and Madam M appears with perfect timing to say, “My, my! Is that Cloud? Darling, I had no idea!” There’s a scathing comment on the tip of his tongue about how she’s the one who set this up in the first place, but the Honeygirls pull him away, still giggling. It’s probably for the best. One wrong word could make her take back Aerith’s endorsement.

They lead him to a table and crowd into his personal space as if to prevent him from escaping. Cloud almost lets himself believe that they’ll let him get away with just _watching_ the show until the blonde says, “Now you just sit tight until Andrea takes the stage!”

Right. Not watching, then. Just waiting for his cue.

The girls coo and poke at him some more, and although it’s still extremely uncomfortable, he settles in with minimal complaining. They’re just trying to make him squirm anyways. After a few minutes, they get up to prepare for the show, leaving him with strict orders not to move until it’s his turn to join them. Soon enough the music comes on and, considering that the Honeybee Inn’s other function is a brothel, the dance is _nothing_ like he was expecting. In fact, the performance and the unique use of magic would probably be impressive, if he wasn’t too distracted by a dozen other things to notice. The song’s repetitive lyrics about baring your soul with pride do manage to worm their way into his head, though. It’s a nice enough message, if a very cliché one.

The obvious star of the show appears in a burst of glitter from a flower, and the girls come back soon enough to practically throw him up to the stage. Andrea comes to welcome him personally, and Cloud almost wants to laugh at the fact that _this_ is how they’re meeting for the first time. Now that he’s seen Andrea though, he realizes that he’s clearly a showman and anything else wouldn’t seem quite right.

“You seek my approval, do you?” he asks, circling Cloud and stepping into his personal space just as easily as his dancers had. Before Cloud can even attempt to take Aerith’s advice and explain the situation, Andrea puts a finger to his lips, shushing him. “I understand.” He steps back into the spotlight and speaks loudly again, for the crowd as much as the man he’s talking to. “But those who crave my favor must first prove that they know how to move!”

Cloud puts up a token protest, groaning and trying to walk offstage, but lets himself be dragged back by the dancers that block his way. He has a feeling that if he leaves now, he’ll have no second chance at getting Andrea’s approval, and Aerith’s cheering as she sits in the crowd wearing her beautiful, “gaudy” bridal audition dress reminds him of why that’s so important. He sighs and takes a moment to gather himself before turning back to Andrea and determinedly stepping into the spotlight that comes on.

Still, determined or not, it’s a little overwhelming. It’s not like this is something he does often, and though the stage lights blind him to the eyes of the crowd, Cloud can still feel them burning into him. He takes a deep breath and reminds himself that if he could fight in the tournament in front of hundreds of people without losing his cool, he can manage dancing in front of this much smaller crowd. Suddenly he’s grateful to the Honeygirls who had made him practice, even if they hadn’t been able to help with the actual choreography. Apparently, Andrea prefers to improvise during his performances.

As if reading his mind, Andrea does a quick spin and asks with a wink, “Think you can follow my lead?”

The lights go down and the music kicks up, and Cloud freezes, not knowing how to start. Then the other spotlight turns on and Andrea struts towards him and taps his shoulder, and suddenly he comes alive. It starts off just a bit stiff and awkward, as Cloud knows most things he does are (aside from fighting), but the moment he lets himself shut off his thoughts, it gets much easier and he starts to loosen up.

Andrea mimes pulling his strings, and Cloud lets himself be puppetted around the stage. It’s surprisingly nice to let someone else take the lead for once, to just do his best to keep up and not worry about anything else. And judging by the looks Andrea is sending him, his best is _more_ than good enough. Something like pride swells in his chest at those looks. Maybe he’s actually found something he’s _good_ at that doesn’t revolve around his skills as a SOLDIER or a mercenary. He doubles down and puts everything he has into it, motioning the other man towards him. Although he’s not going to analyze _why_ at the moment, he doesn’t want Andrea’s eyes to leave him. _Not until the song ends, at least,_ he tells himself.

As they dance, Cloud starts to feel lighter, _happier_ , than he has in a long, long time. ( _How long?_ a voice in the back of his mind questions, tearing at his fractured memories. He steadfastly ignores it. _Not the time._ ) As if he could just _let go_ and everything would be _okay_ for once. He tamps down the smile that tries to force its way onto his face. No reason for the audience, least of all Aerith, to think that the hardass merc could actually be having _fun_ doing something like this.

“Woohoo! You’re a star!” he hears Aerith shout during a brief pause, and he allows himself one short huff of excited laughter while his back is turned to the crowd.

Then the lights dim and the music slows, and Cloud turns around again, feeling his heart race as the dance turns a bit more sexual. By the time that Andrea is suddenly humping the floor again, he’s finding it very difficult to not avert his eyes ( _You_ have _to keep looking if you_ _’re gonna follow his cues,_ he reminds himself) or burst into laughter that would probably come out a bit hysterical. He feels like a different person as emotions and sensations take over his thoughts and carefully built-up persona. The scariest part is that he gets the feeling he might actually _like_ that person if he lets himself.

Andrea steps up behind him, and together they motion as if pulling actual heartstrings out of his chest and into the open for everyone to see. Terrifyingly, it feels like that’s _exactly_ what they’re doing.

Aerith’s call of, “Keep it up, Cloud! Work it!” rises above the din, and he has to hide another smile as the lighting and music shifts once again. The dance will come to an end soon, so he shifts his focus to pleasing the crowd and getting them even more hyped up, knowing that their opinion will probably be just as important as Andrea’s own when he makes his decision.

All too soon, it’s over, and Cloud stays in his finishing pose for a few seconds just to catch his breath as the other man walks to the front of the stage. When he finally stands back up, Andrea turns back to him with a hint of a smile. “Honey…” he says, his hands forming a heart over his real one, “I’m in love.” Before Cloud can even _begin_ to think of how to respond, he continues, “Yes. Yes, I will transform you into a vision of beauty. Now, without further ado, let us begin!” And that’s the moment when Cloud finally remembers what the point of this whole act was and feels his blood turn to ice.

It’s bad enough that he has to do this at all, but _out here? On stage?_ As the Honeygirls push him into the throne they brought up, he swallows down his embarrassment and tries not to glance in Aerith’s direction, grateful when a Honeyboy steps up and blocks his line of sight. A few of the dancers come up with fans to hide him from the audience, while more pull him up by his arms, change him into a black and blue dress, shove him back down onto the chair, and throw on jewelry and heels and hair extensions in a dizzying rush that leaves him dazed. Then comes makeup and nail polish, and he’s seen girls do this enough times to know that he has to hold completely still for this part. When the man doing his makeup is done, he scrutinizes his work and claps happily. He steps away with a quick, “You were _born_ for this,” and Cloud wonders for a moment how he’s supposed to feel about that.

He does his best to compose himself as the girls dance away with their fans, revealing his makeover. The whole crowd gasps and his eyes widen in surprise when he realizes that it’s a _positive_ reaction. The Honeyboy steps forward again, and Cloud lets him take his hand and help him stand. The platform he’s on rises as he glances around at the few faces he can see beyond the bright lights. That same sense of warmth and pride he’d felt while dancing starts to spread again, more confusing but still strangely pleasant, when he catches their looks of awe and giddiness and even, in a few cases, envy. Even Aerith’s jaw has dropped in genuine excitement and happiness, with no trace of the teasing that he’s sure will come later. Something makes him want to put just as much into this show as he’d put into the dance, and he lets Aerith’s reaction bolster his confidence and comfort him with the knowledge that maybe that’s alright.

When the platform lowers again and Andrea simply says, “Come,” Cloud only hesitates for a moment, glancing down at his own hand before taking the other man’s. He’s yanked forward to the front of the stage, and then suddenly they’re dancing again, but it feels different this time. Cloud twirls, doing his best to keep his balance in the high-heeled boots, and comes to a stop with his back to Andrea’s chest. Andrea gently takes both his hands, and Cloud lets himself lean back into him a bit. He looks down, away from the crowd, and tries to process what he’s feeling, but he isn’t given a chance before the other man is spinning him away again.

When he stops, Cloud holds out his hand and forces himself to meet Andrea’s eyes, an almost challenging look on his face. Andrea takes it and meets the challenge head-on, pulling him back in and lowering him into an unexpected dip. He feels splayed-open, vulnerable parts that he didn’t even know he _had_ bared for the whole world to see, and he lets it show on his face for just a moment as he falls back, limp in Andrea’s arms. Then the other man is leaning closer, and for a split second, Cloud thinks he’s going to kiss him. He doesn’t know whether he wants to lean in or away, so he does neither, carefully holding himself in place. Instead, Andrea simply murmurs, “Perfection,” sounding like he really means it, and Cloud stares at him, mouth falling open in surprise. He keeps staring even as Andrea slowly lifts him back up and begins to walk away, pushing down the voice in his head that’s screaming to pull him back in again.

He doesn’t go far, though. “True beauty is an expression of the heart. A thing without shame, to which notions of gender don’t apply.” Cloud nods slightly, hoping he can hold onto that reassurance when he walks out those doors but worrying that he won’t be able to. “Don’t ever be afraid, Cloud.”

‘Afraid of what?’ he wants to ask, because it suddenly feels like there are a million different things to be afraid of that would’ve never even crossed his mind before tonight. Instead he stays silent and takes Andrea’s proffered hand. They raise their arms as if in victory before sweeping into a deep bow, and he lets himself bask in this feeling, just for a minute, before he has to reenter the real world—the feeling that he is beautiful, and talented, and _wanted_ , and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea how many times I rewatched this scene, both for fun and for the sake of this fic. There are so many tiny moments if you slow it down to pay attention, it's honestly really impressive even beyond the obvious. I am absolutely in love with it lol


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you all doubted my comment at all about this being nothing but self-indulgent fluff, this whole chapter is literally me just throwing the entire plot of the game away. You've been warned. If you're looking for plot, canon compliance, or angst, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.
> 
> That being said, holy shit, you guys. HOLY SHIT. The absolute outpouring of love for the first chapter was... overwhelming. Thank you all so much! I honestly teared up a few times. I'm really glad you're enjoying this so far, and I really hope you like what's to come. I've been having so much fucking fun working on this fic, it makes me happier than writing has in a very, very long time. Admittedly, I didn't enjoy this particular chapter all that much, because it's really just stuff I have to get out of the way so we can get to the fun parts, but... I've got over 13,000 words written for this fic so far and plenty more to come, and most of it has been nothing but a joy to write.
> 
> Unfortunately, my mind doesn't really work in chronological order, so I'm sorry if updates are a little slow even though I'm spending so much time on this fic (SO much time. At least two hours a day, usually more lol). I'm really, really excited to share certain scenes with you in the future, though, and we'll be past the canon rehashing after this chapter.
> 
> Okay, a few warnings and then I promise this stupidly long author's note will be over: Even though, as I said before, there will not be any of the canon angst from after chapter 9, there will be spoilers in this fic for up to chapter 14, because I enjoyed certain scenes and needed to work around others. Also, if you notice tags or the rating changing, I'm probably updating them as I write (and not necessarily as I post), so those may change a lot. I'm not sure yet whether there will be any smut in this, but there are definitely some very suggestive scenes later, so I'm bumping the rating up to M for now to be safe.

“Cloud,” Andrea says, catching him just as he makes his way back to Aerith after the show.

“I’ll wait outside,” she says with a smile. Cloud nods and waits until she’s out the door to turn back to Andrea.

“I just wanted to let you know that you’re welcome back any time you’d like. Whether it’s to perform or…just to _be_.” Andrea’s treading carefully, but Cloud knows what he means, knows that he probably saw every inch of his soul laid bare tonight.

He swallows heavily. “No promises, but I’ll… think about it.”

Andrea nods and smiles like it’s a real answer. “Well, if you do decide to come back, I’ll look forward to it.” He lifts Cloud’s hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss to the back of it before backing away with a smirk. “I wish you the best of luck in finding what you’re looking for.”

Cloud nods jerkily and turns around, walking quickly away. Halfway to the doors, he catches himself and slows down, straightening up and folding his hands in front of him. As soon as he walks out, the act is on. It’s unlikely, but one of Corneo’s men could be watching at any moment. He makes it outside, still half in a daze from the entire experience, and wanders to the doorstep of a nearby shop. It takes him a minute to realize Aerith is standing behind him. She’s probably been trying to catch his attention for a while. “Please don’t,” he says when he finally notices her. He’s not ready to talk about it, might not _ever_ be ready to talk about it. She keeps standing there waiting, though, so he eventually turns around with a warning of, “Not a word.”

“Not even one?”

“No!” He knows she’ll ignore him even before she opens her mouth.

“But you’re so pretty!”

Cloud blinks, not quite sure whether she’s teasing him or being genuine. Probably both, knowing Aerith. Instead of responding, he starts walking away, but it doesn’t help much. Everywhere he goes, people are hurling compliments and insults. At least the disguise is working, though he’s not sure that it’s enough until he stops to talk to Chadley and the boy shows no signs of recognizing him.

“Ohhh…” he drawls, clearing his throat awkwardly. He tries to meet Cloud’s eyes and fails, flailing backwards in shock. Cloud almost wants to laugh at the poor boy; he probably would if it didn’t mean laughing at his own situation, too. He’s never seen Chadley act quite so… human. Apparently _he_ isn’t used to it, either. “Forgive me, miss, but the way you’re staring at me is rather… O-oh goodness! I’m experiencing an emotional response!”

Cloud opens his mouth to tell Chadley the truth, because letting him believe in the lie seems almost cruel. He thinks better of it at the last second and turns away instead. The truth might be actually be more damaging, and he can’t risk anyone else overhearing. They continue along the way to Corneo’s mansion, people catcalling both of them everywhere they go. After a man stumbles towards them saying, “Whoa, that is one hot chick!” Cloud stops and motions Aerith aside.

“Is this what it’s always like?” he asks, keeping quiet so nobody can hear his too-low voice.

She gives an uncomfortable smile and shrug. “Well… This is definitely worse than usual, probably because of the dresses, but… Yeah, sometimes.”

“How do you resist just… punching all of them?”

Aerith laughs. “It’s hard sometimes, but normal people can’t just get away with hitting whoever they want. I could probably take on most of these idiots in a fight, but you never know who’ll have friends to come back them up… or who will decide to follow you back to your house… It’s dangerous for a girl.” She’s still smiling, but it’s sadder. He hates it.

“I’m… sorry,” Cloud manages after a minute.

She shrugs. “That’s just the way it is. But hey!” Aerith adds, brightening. “I’ve got my bodyguard now, so if it comes down to it…” She holds her hands up in fists and takes a mock fighting stance, clearly hoping to lighten the mood. Cloud forces a chuckle and nods, and Aerith starts leading the way down the street again, ready for the conversation to be over.

When they make it to Corneo’s place, Leslie tries to stop them once again. There’s a spark of recognition, and for a moment, Cloud worries that he won’t let him in. He does after some more warnings, though he seems exasperated. Cloud can’t help but wonder why a guy with an actual conscience works for someone like Don Corneo, but he’s already decided that it’s easier _not_ to try to make sense of anything in Wall Market.

It doesn’t take long to realize that the warnings were justified. He expected lackeys, maybe some guard dogs or something… but not gas. He can’t _fight_ against gas, can’t protect Aerith from it. Cloud struggles not to panic when Corneo’s men enter the room and he can’t even stand upright to defend himself.

* * *

The next thing Cloud knows, he’s waking up in some… creepy sex dungeon, and he supposes he really should have expected it from everything that he’s heard about the man. It’s a relief to realize that nothing happened while he was passed out, though, and an even bigger relief to see Tifa hovering over him. He bolts upright. “Tifa?!”

“Yes…?” she asks, seemingly confused by her own name leaving his lips.

“You okay?” She hums an affirmative answer, and he nods in satisfaction. “Good.”

“Waiitt a minute,” Tifa drawls, eying him, and Cloud finally realizes the reason for all her confusion. “Cloud?! Is that you?!” Her voice turns from surprise to excitement as she says, “Oh my god, that makeup! And that dress!”

“Nailed it, I know. Thank you,” he rushes out, hoping that the makeup hides his blush. If he wasn’t ready to talk about this with Aerith, he’s certainly not ready to talk about it with Tifa. “ _Moving on._ ”

Cloud can tell that she wants to keep pushing it, but luckily, they’re interrupted by Aerith waking up. He helps her up and the three of them come up with a plan that leaves him feeling unsettled. He can’t decide which is worse: the thought of Corneo actually choosing him, or the thought of him choosing one of the girls. It’s only a few minutes before they’re called upstairs. He takes a deep breath. They’ll find out what happens soon enough.

When Don Corneo appears and starts examining them, Cloud can feel the disgust and discomfort rolling off of Aerith and Tifa in waves. He can’t blame them; he feels it too. They at least try to hold it in for the sake of the plan, but he can’t bring himself to do the same. This is so much worse than the comments as they’d walked the streets of Wall Market. It’s exactly the kind of attention he’d feared, and the awe and celebration of the Honeybee Inn already feel like something from the distant past. He’s more than ready for this farce to be over.

“Pathetic,” he mutters when Kotch suggests that Corneo tosses his brides aside—or maybe worse—after a matter of days. Apparently, that catches the man’s attention.

“Hey, which one of you said that?” He wanders over to Cloud. “Was it you?” Cloud says nothing but glares with all the venom he can muster into one look. “Ohhh, you got a mouth on you! I’m gonna enjoy breaking it in!”

 _And I’m gonna enjoy ripping your dick off,_ Cloud thinks, even as bile rises in his throat. He thinks again of his conversation with Aerith and hopes to God that Corneo is an extreme, that this isn’t anywhere near _normal_. He suddenly wants to never leave her side again—or Tifa’s or Jessie’s, for that matter.

“Today’s lucky lady is the big-boned girl!” Corneo says, and it’s almost a relief to know that he won’t be getting his filthy hands on either of the girls. On some level, he knows they can protect themselves, but he _doesn’t_ know how far they’d be willing to go to get the information they need. Cloud twitches when he tells his lackeys, “The leftovers are all yours,” but forces himself not to react. They can handle it.

He doesn’t—can’t—do anything to get information from Corneo. He’s as cold as he can be without ending the charade entirely, but the pig is somehow _into it_. Cloud isn’t even surprised when Corneo reveals that he’s disgusting enough to blackmail women into sleeping with him. “Asshole,” he says whole-heartedly. It doesn’t even phase him, of course.

Eventually, Cloud loses any ounce of patience he had left, and he stands up, rounding on Corneo to kick him. Tifa and Aerith appear with perfect timing to back him up, and they even have his clothes. He struggles to ignore Corneo’s sounds behind him as he gets changed—he seems surprised to find out that Cloud’s a man, but not particularly bothered. _It figures; he isn’t bothered by anything._

Tifa finally gets to ask her questions, and Cloud revels in watching Corneo squirm when he threatens to cut his balls off. This is more his pace, and he wishes they could’ve just gone this route from the start. The girls follow up with their own threats, clearly enjoying it as much as he had, and eventually the man confesses that Shinra’s planning to drop the Sector 7 plate to find Avalanche. Just as they’re about to run for it, though, he stops them—and drops them into the sewers.

* * *

It’s a lie.

They fight their way through sahagins and scissorclaws and Corneo’s giant goddamn sewer “pet,” and it’s a fucking _lie_.

Cloud’s torn between anger and relief, and he can tell that Tifa and Aerith are feeling the same. Still, Tifa’s left visibly shaken, and when they make it back to Seventh Heaven, she pulls him and Barret aside. Cloud does his best to ignore the strange looks Barret keeps giving him and focus on explaining the situation.

“We have to stop,” Tifa says quietly, taking Barret’s hand. “It… it was a lie this time, but what happens when it’s not? Would Shinra really go that far?” she asks, turning her attention to Cloud.

He hesitates, but nods after a few seconds. “Yeah. They would.”

“Then… we have to stop. We have to lay low—at least until we can find a way to protect everyone,” she adds when Barret looks ready to argue. “I know you don’t like it, but we can’t let all of Sector 7 get caught in the crossfire just because Shinra wants to stop us!”

Barret’s fist is clenched in anger, but after a long moment, he flips it over to squeeze Tifa’s hand gently. Reluctantly, he nods. “…Alright. But this isn’t an end, it’s just a pause. Just until we can keep everyone safe.”

Tifa nods eagerly, even though Cloud knows she doesn’t really feel the same. Anything to get him to agree. “Thank you,” she says, the words leaving her in a sigh of relief.

Barret nods again, but he’s obviously not satisfied. Apparently trying to distract himself, he turns on Cloud. “So can I ask what’s with the earrings?”

Cloud blinks, reaching up to touch them. He hadn’t even realized he’d left them on when he got changed. Tifa giggles, and he sends her a warning glare. She ignores it, of course. “You should’ve seen him with the full look. He was beautiful! Isn’t that right, Aerith?” she calls to the other woman, who’s busying herself with a pinball machine and trying to look like she isn’t listening in on their every word.

Aerith turns and walks to them with a grin. “Yep! He had the prettiest dress, and—”

“You two have no sense of mercy, do you?” he mumbles, looking anywhere other than at Barret while the man guffaws.

“Well, _I_ think it was sweet that you were willing to do all that just to come help me out,” Tifa says, grabbing Cloud’s arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. She starts pulling him to the bar, saying, “Come on, it’s been a long day. I think we could all use some rest and a drink. You too, Aerith.” The other girl nods and follows them, taking a seat next to Cloud as Tifa moves behind the bar. “What’ll you have?”

“Hmm…” Aerith put a finger to her lips, thinking, but after a moment, she just shrugs. “I’ll take whatever your specialty is!”

“One Cosmo Canyon, coming right up!” Tifa says cheerfully. “You want one, Cloud?” He nods, and she sets about making their drinks just as the doors burst open.

“Why didn’t anyone tell us there was a party going on?” Jessie asks. Barret motions her over to his table, Biggs and Wedge following just behind her, and he starts explaining what’s happened.

Tifa sets their glasses in front of them with an apologetic smile. “I should go talk to the others,” she explains before leaving them.

They drink in silence for a minute before Aerith asks quietly, “So… What’s on your mind?” He raises a disbelieving eyebrow at her. “Other than the obvious,” she says, laughing awkwardly and gesturing around them as if to encompass the entire situation. When he makes no move to answer, she asks shrewdly, “…Is it about the Honeybee Inn, or Andrea? What did he say after I left?”

Cloud hesitates, taking a long drink to stall and cursing her ability to read his mind after only knowing him for a day. Trying to keep any emotion out of his voice, he eventually answers, “He told me I was welcome to come back if I wanted.”

“… _Do_ you want to?” she asks, watching him carefully. He shrugs uncomfortably after a minute. “Well, if you want to even the slightest bit, then I think you should. I’ll go with you, if you want me to.”

Cloud considers the offer. On one hand, it was embarrassing enough having Aerith there in the first place. On the other hand, having her around almost feels like an excuse for him to be there, and even though she enjoys poking fun at him a little too much, she’d probably be glad to give him an easy out if he was _really_ uncomfortable. Glancing back at the Avalanche members to make sure they’re still engrossed in their conversation, he lets out a quiet sigh. “…Alright,” he agrees, downing the rest of his drink and hoping he won’t come to regret the decision too much.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Quick update because I already had a third of it written, and because I didn't like the last chapter much and didn't wanna leave it on that for long. :)

A few days later, Cloud works up the nerve to go back to Wall Market. He picks Aerith up on the opposite edge of town from where he enters, still not convinced that she actually needs a “bodyguard.” She grins and skips along the road ahead of him all the way to the Honeybee Inn, more than excited enough for the both of them. When he starts lagging behind, she falls back and hugs his arm. “Come on, Cloud! It’ll be fun!”

“…Why do I never believe you when you say that?” he asks flatly.

“I don’t know, but you should!” Aerith says with a laugh. “And don’t act like I bullied you into coming this time! All I said was that you should do it if you wanted to.”

He shrugs, but they both know he can’t argue. When they reach the club, the man at the door takes one look at them over the heads of everyone in line and grins. “Mr. Cloud, welcome back!” he says brightly. “Are you here to favor us with another dazzling performance?”

Cloud blinks in surprise and grunts noncommittally. The man just keeps smiling and waves him inside. “Um, we’re here—” he starts as they walk in, but the woman at the reception desk quickly cuts him off.

“To see Mr. Rhodea, I know,” she says with a small smile. She stands, showing off her smart but revealing suit, and shakes their hands. “My name’s Sophia. Pleasure to meet you, Cloud. And this is…?”

“Aerith.”

Sophia nods and moves out from behind the desk, setting a notice on it to announce that she’ll be back soon. “Follow me.” To Cloud’s surprise, she leads them straight to the main stage, where Andrea and a handful of his employees are dancing. Sophia waves to catch his attention, and he calls a quick break, guzzling from a bottle of water before he comes to join them.

“Cloud, I’m so glad you decided to take me up on my invitation. And you must be Aerith,” Andrea says, turning his attention to her. She nods, wide-eyed, and he gives a soft laugh. “I remember you from the night of Cloud’s dance. You were radiant in the dress that Madame M got you—and still just as beautiful now.”

“Th-thank you,” she says, smiling widely even as her face turns red.

“So Cloud, if you brought a friend along, I assume you’re here to perform?”

Cloud glances uncertainly at Aerith, who gives him an encouraging smile. He hasn’t actually thought this part through, but… “Sure.”

“Perfect! Unfortunately, we’re a bit busy creating a new routine and I can’t show you around myself, but Sophia can give you the grand tour. She’s my right-hand woman, and she’ll be able to help with any questions you could possibly have. Aerith, you’re welcome to stay here and watch while Cloud gets ready, if you’d like.”

“Really?” she asks.

Andrea nods, grinning at her excitement, and leads her to a booth near the stage. “I’ll see you later, honey,” he calls back to Cloud with a wink. Aerith waves, and then Sophia is leading him back out of the room.

All business, she strides past the lobby, up the stairs to the second floor, and halfway down the hall. She shows him into one of the many dressing rooms and points to a rack of dresses among the rows of sparkling suits and vests. “Whenever you’re ready, pick whichever you want. If you like one and it doesn’t fit, just let me or Andrea know and we’ll have it adjusted for next time. Once you’re dressed, Cassius will do your makeup.”

Cloud follows her gaze to the only other person in the room, a man sitting at one of the vanities with a bottle of lip gloss hovering halfway to his lips. He stares at them in the mirror with a shocked expression, and his face strikes Cloud as vaguely familiar, just a hint of déjà vu. It takes a minute to recognize him as the same man who’d done his makeup the first time he was here.

Cloud turns back to Sophia with a nod, and she continues, “The show doesn’t start for a few hours, but I’m guessing you aren’t used to that kind of movement in a dress and heels, so you’re welcome to get ready early and practice with the girls for a while if you want. Or you can just hang around or explore for a bit if you think you’re prepared. Just don’t wander onto the third floor, okay? Our guests expect—and pay for—privacy and discretion.”

“Right.”

She nods. “Alright then, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be at the front desk if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” Cloud says as Sophia turns on her heel and strides back down the hall. Although she’d been nothing but polite, something about her seems slightly… intimidating. He makes a mental note to stay on her good side.

Cloud hesitates, wondering what he should do, but eventually decides to follow her advice and get ready early to practice. He enters the dressing room and closes the door behind him, sliding in between the racks of clothing and ducking his head as he feel Cassius’s gaze following him. He does his best to ignore it and focus on choosing an outfit, but the sheer number of options is overwhelming. It’s tempting to ask someone else to choose for him again. In his mind, he can hear Aerith’s teasing voice as if she’s standing right beside him. _“Have you been wearing the same uniform for so long that you can’t pick your own clothes?”_ He huffs out an irritated breath and squares his shoulders, grabbing a similar dress to last time; it’s nearly long enough to sweep the floor and has plenty of black to suit his taste, but this one trades out the blue bodice for a jade green one and has shorter sleeves.

It’s… more difficult to get on than he’d expected, and once again, he could almost swear that Aerith is in the room poking fun at him. Cloud struggles into it and is amazed all over again at how quickly the Honeygirls had gotten him changed on stage. He tugs at the corset bodice until it’s as close to comfortable as it’s going to get and glances around for a place to set his clothes, eventually dropping them onto a bench at one of the vanities. Then he pauses and takes a deep breath before walking over to Cassius, who quickly stands and offers him his seat. Cloud hesitates, giving him a suspicious glance, but sits down after a few moments.

“May I?” the other man asks, practically vibrating in excitement as he holds up foundation in one hand and an eyeshadow palette in the other.

Cloud stares at him for a few more seconds, then lets out an amused huff as he finally gets it. He nods and closes his eyes. “You really like what you do, don’t you?”

“Sometimes,” Cassius agrees cheerfully as he gets to work. “It’s… How should I put it? I love that I can emphasize people’s natural beauty, and I meant what I said before; you were _born_ for this. Oh, pucker your lips, please.”

“Uh… Thanks,” Cloud mutters, then follows his instructions, glad for the excuse not to say anything more. He keeps his eyes closed even though he knows he doesn’t need to. Accepting Cassius’s earnest compliments is difficult enough; Cloud’s not sure he can handle whatever expression he’s wearing, too.

“No need to thank me, I only speak the truth. Okay, now rub them together for me? Fantastic.” There’s some clinking on the vanity, and then something rubbing over his cheekbones, and then Cassius moves slightly out of his space. “Anndd… Done!”

Cloud opens his eyes again and fights the urge to look anywhere _other than_ the mirror. “You’re good,” he admits quietly, just relieved that it doesn’t come out as a squeak.

The other man just keeps smiling. “I only bring out what’s already there,” he says, and Cloud is pretty sure that the color on his cheeks isn’t just from the rouge. Oblivious to his internal panic, Cassius asks, “Want me to do your nails too?”

“…Sure,” Cloud answers, finally allowing himself to look away from the mirror and watch Cassius work.

They fall into a silence that’s surprisingly comfortable, although he supposes that might just be because of how _un_ comfortable he gets every time Cassius talks. When he’s finished, Cassius takes both of Cloud’s hands in his own and peers carefully at them before nodding in satisfaction. “You’re free to go now,” he says, still grinning. “Just try to be careful; they’re still wet.”

Cloud nods in understanding as he gets up and stretches. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome! If you’re wanting to go practice with the girls, they should be in the same room as last time. I can take you there if you don’t remember which one it is.”

“I think I’ve got it.”

“Alright! Then I’ll see you onstage in a few hours. Oh, and they’ll handle your hair just before the performance. Sweaty extensions sticking to your neck aren’t pleasant.”

He nods again and makes it halfway to the door before he has to stop, glancing around the room.

“Something wrong?”

“Uh. Shoes,” Cloud says awkwardly, staring down at the frills hiding his socked feet.

Cassius chuckles and points. “In the corner, behind the clothes.”

“Thanks,” he says again, and for a moment Cloud wants to smack himself for sounding like a broken record, but at least he’s being a _polite_ broken record. As he makes his way over, he pauses in front of the other mirror, staring at his reflection. After a long moment, he digs Andrea's earrings out of his pants pocket and trades his usual plain studs out for them. He doesn’t give himself long to dwell on it before continuing on his way. He’s relieved to find only one pair of shoes in the corner, probably the same ones he wore last time. No more annoyingly difficult choices to make.

As if reading his mind, Cassius says apologetically, “They were so focused on the clothes that they forgot to get more heels. There should be more ready by next week.”

“It’s fine,” Cloud says. _More_ than fine. He pulls the boots on and zips them up before nodding a goodbye to the other man and making his escape. He heads back downstairs, staring at the door to the room he’d previously practiced in awkwardly for a minute before knocking.

A familiar blonde head pops out, the woman looking very confused about someone knocking on their door. When she spots Cloud though, her eyes light up, and she calls over her shoulder, “Look guys, our favorite star is back!” She drags him inside, and the other two grin and giggle when they see him.

“Wow, your makeup is incredible!” one of them coos, taking one of his hands in both of hers. “Did Cash do it?” He nods, wishing he’d mentally prepared for this. They’re just as overwhelming as they were the last time.

“Knew it!” the blonde says smugly. “He has a way with a brush, and we _all_ went to him for our makeup until we learned to get it perfect ourselves.”

Cloud blinks in surprise. “He’s been here for a while, then?”

The women glance at each other, and the shortest one nods. “I think he’s been here from the beginning. Might be the only original left, now that I think about it—other than Andrea and Sophia themselves, of course.”

Cloud makes a meaningless sound, and the blonde rolls her eyes, apparently deciding to take matters into her own hands. “We didn’t really get a chance to introduce ourselves properly last time, did we?”

“Not really.”

“Well, I’m Manda,” she says, then rests her elbow on the shoulder of the girl next to her and ruffles her short hair. “This cutie here is Pyra, and that’s Justine.”

“Cloud,” he says, as if they don’t already know his name. Manda giggles, but he ignores her and stiffly shakes each of their hands.

“Great! Now that introductions are out of the way…” she says, straightening up and giving him a mischievous smile. “I hope you know we won’t take it easy on you this time. If you’re gonna be performing here regularly, then you have to be in tip-top shape. Can’t have you embarrassing the rest of us!”

“I don’t know, Manda,” Justine says with a matching grin. “He’s already in pretty good shape. I bet he could manage some pole dancing with a little bit of practice.”

“Wha—?” Cloud stumbles over his tongue, staring at each of them with wide eyes. It’s not until Pyra’s giggles turn into snorts that he realizes they’re messing with him.

“They’re just kidding,” Pyra manages between gasps for air. She covers her mouth, embarrassed, and Manda wraps an arm around her shoulders with the most genuine smile he’s seen from any of them so far.

“Aww, don’t be shy,” she says. “Your real laugh is adorable!” Pyra just shakes her head frantically and burrows her face farther into her hands.

“Alright, ladies,” Justine says, rolling her eyes fondly. “Enough messing around. We’ve gotta get this boy ready to perform in the next…” She pauses, glancing at a clock on the wall before finishing, “Two hours.”

The other two straighten up and nod, Pyra still stifling her laugher, and the boot camp begins.

* * *

By the time that they finally let him rest half an hour before the show starts, Cloud feels nearly ready to collapse. The Honeygirls’ training is harsher than any he can remember going through for SOLDIER, and they take him through a quick rundown of every dance they could possibly think of since, “You’re a mystery element. You weren’t expected or written into any of the dances, so who knows _what_ Andrea has planned for you?”

“You alright?” Pyra asks quietly as she takes a seat next to him. She hands him a bottle of water, and he gives her a nod of thanks before downing half the bottle in one go. She watches the other girls, still practicing a partnered move, and says, “I know they can be a bit much sometimes.”

Cloud raises an eyebrow at her, and she huffs out a sheepish laugh. “Okay, so can I, I guess.”

“…I’m fine,” he finally answers, and even though his lungs and legs are on fire, it’s true. The physical exertion and the need to focus has driven away the worries that had filled his head all day, and he feels like he might be able to handle whatever the night throws at him now.

She watches him skeptically for a few moments before nodding, seemingly satisfied. “Alright. Good.” Standing back up, she says, “We should do your hair now, and touch up your makeup.” Cloud cringes, reaching up to feel how the makeup must be melting off of his face by now, but Pyra smacks his hand away. “You’ll make it worse!”

Obediently, he folds his hands back in his lap and watches as she goes to one of the sets of drawers. She pulls out some makeup, then grabs various hair extensions and holds them up one by one to compare the shades to his hair. Manda catches sight of this and rushes to join her, digging through the drawer. “This one,” she says firmly, handing Pyra a handful of extensions.

The other girl holds them up and nods. “Thanks.”

“No problem, sweetie. Do you mind if I try to tame his hair first?” Pyra shrugs and Manda gives her a grin before grabbing a few more bottles out of a lower drawer. Then she sits down in front of him and grins, all teeth. “Since we’ve got more than a few minutes this time around, let’s see what we can do about that chronic bedhead, hmm?”

“It’s not—” he starts to argue, but the look she levels him with makes his mouth snap closed. Now apparently _isn’t_ the time to go up against her. Cloud sighs and nods. “Do your worst…”

* * *

As it turns out, they can manage quite a lot in half an hour. Cloud barely gets a chance to glance in the mirror at the delicate waves framing his face, almost unrecognizable without the spikes, before they’re pulling him out the door, though. “We’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry,” Justine explains, sounding nervous. “Thank goodness it’s right next door.”

They pull him backstage just in time to get in their places for “Stand Up,” leaving him to wonder if this is what they open with every night. He watches the dance with a new respect, knowing just how much work they’ve put into it. The music fades out after a bit and Andrea steps up to the front of the stage. “I’m very pleased to announce that we’ve got a guest star tonight,” he says, murmurs running through the crowd. “Those of you who are regulars may remember our guest from earlier this week, Cloud. He’s come to join us again, and I promise it’ll be a show you’ll never forget.” The murmurs turn to a roar, and Cloud’s heart pounds painfully in his chest.

Andrea backs away again, and the other dancers hold the audience’s attention while he strides back to where Cloud’s waiting. “Darling,” he greets him, giving a half-bow. Cloud nods and attempts to smile. He doesn’t think it works; it comes out feeling more like a wobbly grimace. Andrea ignores it, holding out a hand, and Cloud takes a deep breath before taking it and letting himself be led out. Andrea reels him in close when they reach center-stage, then pauses suddenly. “You wore the earrings I gave you,” he observes, reaching out to touch one with a look of pleasant surprise.

Cloud gives a half-shrug and manages to force out, “They’re… nice.” He immediately wants to kick himself, and he’s grateful for the loud music covering his words until Andrea grins like he heard it anyways.

“I’m glad you like them. They look perfect on you,” he says, loud enough to be heard by Cloud but not the people surrounding them. He chuckles at Cloud’s blush. Then his hands come up, one resting on Cloud’s shoulder blade and the other holding his own, and he leads him into some kind of quick waltz as a new song starts. Considering the level of entertainment they must be used to here, Cloud would think it’d bore the crowd if he couldn’t hear the evidence to the contrary. The other dancers do an admirable job of following Andrea’s lead, though this clearly wasn’t what they were expecting from the night.

Andrea leads him into a twirl, and then another and another with only a few steps between, until Cloud’s dizzy with it and struggling not to laugh. Then the world’s suddenly tipping sideways as his foot catches on the hem of the dress and he stumbles, cursing himself under his breath. Andrea catches him around the waist and somehow smoothly takes the momentum into a spinning lift. Cloud feels a moment of panic as his feet leave the ground, followed quickly by a moment of amazement as he lands again. He glances at the other man, who just smiles in response to his look of surprise and keeps moving.

Cloud tries to catch sight of the faces in the crowd each time he’s turned toward them, relieved that nobody seems to have noticed his mistake, but he still makes a mental note to pick a shorter dress next time. _Not much,_ he thinks, glancing at the Honeygirls’ costumes with a shot of terror running up his spine, _Just enough that I won’t trip over it again._ He tries not to let it bother him that he’s already thinking about a ‘next time’ at all.

Andrea spins him out when they reach a corner of the stage, out of the way of any other dancers, and Cloud’s outstretched hand ends up inches from Aerith’s face. She’s clapping giddily, looking every bit as excited as last time, and he just barely catches the wide grin and thumbs up that she send him before he’s pulled back into Andrea’s arms. They promenade back to the middle of the stage, twisting between pairs of Honeygirls and Honeyboys, and then they’re spinning again, the world passing too quickly under Cloud’s feet as he looks down at the almost hypnotic way his skirt lifts and twists and settles again. “Eyes up,” Andrea reminds him quietly when his balance threatens to fail again, but he looks more fondly amused than scolding when Cloud meets his gaze.

As the music draws to a close, Andrea pushes him out to arm’s length one last time. Then he spins him back in, curling around him and leading him down into a dip so low that Cloud’s forced to let his entire weight rest on Andrea’s arm again. He’s left panting slightly, heart doing a fast-paced dance of its own and eyes darting wildly over every inch of Andrea’s face. Judging from the other man’s grin, Cloud’s starting to think that he does this on purpose just for the reaction it gets him.

Andrea chuckles, holding them in place for a few more seconds before lifting him back onto his feet, and Cloud corrects his assessment—he’s _definitely_ doing it for the reaction. The lights come up, and the audience goes insane as they all take a bow.

Aerith is waiting for him backstage, Sophia standing guard as her escort, and she pulls him into a hug before he has a chance to react, nearly squeezing the life out of him. “That was _incredible_ , Cloud! You looked so amazing up there, almost like a—like a fairy or something!” she rushes out, and he pats her back awkwardly until she pulls away.

“I’m—” He pauses, swallowing, and tries to calm his frazzled nerves. “I’m gonna go get some fresh air. Then I’ll come back to change and we can get out of here.”

Aerith gives him a concerned look but nods after a few moments. “Alright. I’ll wait for you out there,” she agrees, motioning towards her previous table. He nods back and makes his way out as slowly and calmly as he can, climbing up to a nearby empty balcony once he gets outside.

That’s where Andrea finds him a few minutes later, leaning against the railing and staring out at the city lights. He stands at his side and they’re silent for a few minutes, just taking in the sights and sounds of the crowds, but he eventually turns to Cloud. “You were marvelous tonight, quite a sight to see.” Cloud hums in the back of his throat, meaningless, and Andrea adds, “Truly. Grace incarnate.”

That startles a snort out of Cloud, and he finally looks up to the other man, one eyebrow raised skeptically. “Like when I nearly fell? _Twice?_ ”

Andrea simply smiles and shrugs. “Practice makes perfect.” After a beat, he adds, “And for someone without any, I’d say you did wonderfully.”

“Hmm. Thanks.”

“You don’t seem too happy about it.”

Cloud considers this for a moment before sighing, turning his gaze to the people milling about below them. “Not unhappy,” he corrects. “Just… confused.”

“About?”

He gestures back in the direction of the Honeybee Inn. “This wasn’t what I was expecting tonight. Not after the last time. I just—” He cuts himself off, not even entirely sure of what he’s trying to say.

Andrea’s head tilts, brows furrowed in confusion. After a minute, understanding seems to dawn, and Cloud wonders how Andrea could possibly understand what he’s getting at it when he himself can’t. “Do you mean the dance?” he asks. Cloud nods. “It wasn’t meant as an insult.”

“I didn’t think it was,” he replies with a shake of his head.

“Long dresses restrict movement, and high heels are difficult to keep your balance in until you’re used to them,” Andrea explains. “I simply thought that a dance that kept you upright for the most part would make things easier on you.” Cloud nods again; it makes sense, even if it doesn’t make him feel much better. With a hint of concern, Andrea asks, “Did it bother you to be treated delicately?”

He shivers, something about the word hitting him in a way he’s not expecting. He shakes his head silently, still not quite able to put his thoughts into words.

“…Does it bother you that it _didn’t_ bother you?” the other man asks, taking a half-step closer. Cloud’s head snaps up, eyes wide, and after a long moment he nods slowly. “Oh, Cloud…” he says, trailing off sadly. He holds out an arm, offering, and Cloud hesitates for a long time before stepping forward and allowing Andrea to hug him. He hates himself for it, just a little bit—both for needing the comfort and for hesitating to accept it, and that only makes everything even more confusing. Andrea squeezes his shoulders tightly, resting his head on Cloud’s, and says, “I know it’s a process. A slow, cruel one, sometimes. But I wish I could somehow just give you the gift of instant self-acceptance.”

Suddenly it feels like there’s a vice squeezing his heart, and Cloud gasps for air. Slowly, he lets himself relax and lean into Andrea’s hold. After a minute, though, he remembers his promise to Aerith and gently pulls away. Andrea lets him go without comment. “…Thank you,” Cloud manages, the words sticking in his throat. He tries to meet the other man’s eyes, but ends up staring somewhere over his right shoulder instead. He crosses his arms, suddenly cold, and rubs at his bare elbows. “I should go now,” he says, even as his feet seem glued to the ground.

He nods in understanding, and Cloud forces his feet to move. He only makes it a few steps before Andrea is calling to him. “Cloud?” He looks up, questioning, and Andrea says, “I hope you’ll come back again.” It almost sounds like a question. Cloud stares at him for a minute, hesitating, then nods. Andrea gives him a small smile. “Good. Have a good night, Cloud.”

“…You too,” he says before disappearing down the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry this chapter took a bit longer... I was really sick for a few days, and then really depressed and wanting to delete this fic entirely for a few more. But now I'm healthy and... doing my best to stay positive and motivated. So here we go!
> 
> I also want to apologize to anyone who might be reading this who actually knows anything about fashion and/or different styles of dance lol. I'm probably going to mess up, especially if I try to get into anything more detailed. I promise that I'm doing my best though, and I've probably spent as much time researching this fic and watching a truly absurd amount of YouTube videos of different dances as I've spent on actually writing it, so hopefully I don't mess it up TOO badly. I'll also try to provide links if I get any outfits (or parts of them) from actual pictures, because I'm sure I'm not the only person who has trouble visualizing these things from descriptions alone.
> 
> ETA: Please go check out this [amazing artwork](https://the-noot-noot-snail.tumblr.com/post/617902223547138048/an-excerpt-from-beccabear93-s-fic-dancing-queen) by the-noot-noot-snail on tumblr! It's of the final scene from chapter 3, and I've been freaking out over it quite a bit haha

The next time Cloud goes to the Honeybee Inn, Aerith tagging along for both moral support and her own entertainment, Andrea catches him just as they walk through the doors. “Cloud!” he calls, hurrying over. “I’m glad you’re here. I have your money; I completely forgot to talk to you about it last time! I apologize.”

“…Money?” Cloud repeats dumbly.

Andrea’s brows furrow. “Yes…? You _are_ doing work that everyone else here gets paid for. I certainly don’t expect you to do it for free!”

He should be glad. He should snatch the opportunity before it falls away. Nearly everything he does is for gil; this is no different. Except for how it really, really is.

Cloud frowns slightly. “Keep it.”

“Cloud…?” He peers at him in concern. “Are you sure? It doesn’t seem fair to you.”

“It is. I—” _I get something else from this,_ he tries to force out. The words don’t come. “It’s fine.”

Andrea looks like he might argue, but Aerith steps forward besides Cloud and comes to his rescue. “You’re already paying for the clothes, right? I think Cloud just feels bad about taking more when they’re obviously already top quality.” He glances at her uncertainly out of the corner of his eye but nods in agreement.

Andrea chuckles. “Well, we buy costumes for everyone here, but if it really bothers you that much, then… alright. If you ever decide that you _do_ need the money, though, please let me know. I’d be more than happy to help out.”

“…Right.”

“Okay, now that that’s out of the way… Am I right to assume you’ll be dancing tonight?”

Cloud nods. “Do you… have a plan?”

The other man crosses his arms, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Well, not _really_ , since I wasn’t sure when you’d be back, but… Have you ever tried swing dancing?”

“Uh. No…”

Andrea smiles. “Do you want to learn? No better time than the present, right? And I’m free until the show tonight if you want some lessons.”

Cloud hesitates for a moment before shrugging. “Why not?” After a few uncomfortable seconds, he points to the stairwell. “Should I…?”

The other man glances at the stairs, lips pursed, but eventually shakes his head. “You don’t have to worry about the shoes, because ones without heels or with low, wide ones are probably best for this style of dance, at least for now. And you’ll probably end up sweating through your outfit, to be honest. Better to change just before we go onstage.”

Cloud thinks back to the girls putting him through the wringer the last time he was here and flinches. “Good point.”

“If you’re ready, we can head straight in. We’ll have the stage to ourselves for a few hours.” Andrea turns to Aerith, who’s been been giving an unconvincing act of focusing her full attention on the artwork hanging on the wall. “Aerith, would you like to sit in on rehearsal again?”

She shoots Cloud a questioning look, but he just shrugs again. “Sure. Thanks, Andrea.”

“Please, call me Andi,” he says with a chuckle.

“Andi…” Aerith says, testing it out. She smiles and nods, but glances at Cloud with a look he can’t quite decipher. He ignores it in favor of following Andrea back to the stage, but secretly he’s glad Andrea hasn’t made the same request to him. Cloud’s sure the nickname wouldn’t sound as natural from him as it does from Aerith, and it feels wrong on his tongue even when he mouths it. (Aerith catches that; she giggles, but says nothing when Andrea glances at them over his shoulder.)

“You two take a seat. I’ll be right back,” Andrea says once they reach the front tables.

They follow his instructions, both watching curiously as he disappears backstage. “How’re you feeling?” Aerith asks quietly once he’s out of sight. Cloud looks to her, brows furrowing. “Excited? Nervous?”

He shrugs. “Nothing, really.” She raises a skeptical eyebrow, and Cloud rolls his eyes. “Fine, a little bit of both, I guess. But mostly just… calm.”

Aerith blinks in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve got a goal, something to focus on. That’s really all I need.”

“You don’t get stage fright or anything?”

Cloud considers this for a long moment but doesn’t have a real answer for her. “The audience is only two people right now, and I know neither of them will give me shit if I don’t get it right right away.”

Aerith beams at him but doesn’t get a chance to reply before Andrea reappears, dropping a water bottle on the table in front of each of them. “Trust me, you’ll need it,” he says to Cloud. The blond just nods and slides out of the booth, heading for the stage. Andrea stares after him for a minute before following, making Cloud wonder if he caught the end of their conversation while he wasn’t paying attention.

“Alright,” Andrea says as he steps up in front of Cloud, taking both of his hands in a loose hold, “Obviously there’s only so much we can go over in one evening, but if you can learn two basic step patterns, then we can build from that.”

Cloud nods, eyes on his feet as Andrea leads him through the motions. He’s too focused on the movements and keeping the count steady in his head to pay attention to much else, which is probably for the best. The less he thinks, the better things seem to go for him when he’s here. It feels like a splash of cold water when Manda’s voice calls out, “This what we’re doing tonight, then, boss?” He freezes, blinking over at her in the doorway as he comes out of his daze, and Andrea drops his hands.

“Manda, perfect timing!” he says, hopping off the stage to go meet her. Cloud follows partway, stopping awkwardly at the edge of the stage. He’s surprised to notice that she’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but after a moment he realizes that it’d be ridiculous to expect her to be in the bee costume 24/7. “Can you let the others know and get a few song options together, please?”

She gives him a joking salute, and they talk for a few minutes before she practically skips to Cloud, Andrea following more slowly. “Hey Cloud, can I help choose your outfit tonight?” she asks quietly.

His eyes narrow in suspicion, but then he remembers his indecision the last time he was here and cringes at the thought of going through it again. “I guess so.”

Manda grins and claps. “Great! Andi, mind if I steal Cloud for a few minutes so we can set his clothes aside?” He nods, and she grabs Cloud’s hand, dragging him along behind her all the way to the dressing room. “Make sure nobody’s in there right now?”

He nods and pokes his head in before waving her in. She heads straight for the mismatched rack of feminine clothes and pokes through it, humming to herself. “What are you looking for?” Cloud asks after a minute.

“Well, mobility and comfort is key in a dance like that, so…” Manda trails off, sorting through the clothes for a while longer before snapping out of it. “So you’ll probably either wanna stick to pants, or maybe… something like this.” She holds up a simple white dress, knee length and light.

Cloud stares at it for a minute, considering what little he’s learned so far, and eventually shakes his head. “Pants,” he says simply, and she nods and goes back to her hunt.

“Alright, how about these?” she asks, holding up a plain black pair. He nods and she hands them to him, then holds up two more hangers with shirts. “I think something light and flowy’d be good, since you won’t be getting that effect from a skirt. Like either of these?”

He glances from the black tunic with a mesh layer and roses to the white blouse with long loose sleeves and ruffled layers. He grits his teeth, embarrassed, and eventually nods to the latter. Manda places it on top of the pants and moves to the corner, where the shoe options have apparently multiplied. She holds up a black strappy pair with a low heel questioningly, and he nods again. Cloud sets the outfit down at the same vanity where he’d left his clothes before, and she follows to place the shoes under it. She watches him for a long minute with a strangely serious expression before smiling and squeezing his arm. “You’ll be fine.” Before he can figure out how to respond, Manda’s backing out of his space and heading for the door. “I have to go take care of the things Andi asked me to do, but I’ll see you when the show starts! Good luck with your lesson!”

Cloud watches her go with a sigh and a shake of his head before turning his attention to the heels. He glares at them for a few seconds, but eventually sits down to change his shoes. Better to get some practice in them than none at all. Then he heads back downstairs, clinging carefully to the railing the whole way despite not wobbling much. When he gets back, he blinks in surprise to find Aerith and Andrea talking; Aerith had been so quiet while they practiced that he forgot she was even there. He joins them at the table and takes the opportunity to gulp down some of his water.

“Is this something you do often?” Aerith is asking. “I wouldn’t expect it to be the kind of dance you’d do at a club like this.”

Andrea shrugs, grinning. “I think it’s more interesting to try a little bit of everything than to never step outside of your comfort zone, don’t you?”

Aerith considers his answer for a moment before returning the grin. “Absolutely!”

Andrea glances at Cloud before giving Aerith an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry to cut this conversation short, dear, but Cloud’s back and there’s so much to do in so little time.”

“Of course!” she says, making shooing motions at both of them. “I don’t want to interrupt; I was just curious.”

“We can talk more later, if you’d like,” Andrea says before retaking his place on the stage. He waits for Cloud to join him before speaking again. “Before we start again… I should ask whether you’d prefer a slow or fast song when we perform. Now that you’ve got the basic movement, anything further will be easier if you practice the way you mean to go on.”

“Um… Slow,” Cloud answers after some thought. There’s already so much to learn, and it’ll only be more difficult if they speed things up.

Andrea nods and takes his hands again. “Slow it is, then. Let’s continue.”

* * *

Cloud comes to regret his decision by the time that they move on from the very basics. Slow means he has a little more control over the dance, but it also means more time to think. Slow means more long, low drops with only Andrea's arm to stop him from hitting the floor. Slow means more eye contact. Slow means more time pulled close against Andrea’s body.

It only gets worse once it’s actually time to perform. Manda, posing from her position just five feet away, smirks at him when the music starts. He’s never heard it before, but it’s got more of a beat than he expected from a supposedly “slow” song. It’s also low and sensual and loving, and Andrea adjusts their movements to fit. From what little he knew of swing dancing before today, Cloud would have laughed if someone had called it sexy.

Now he knows better.

Somehow, he makes it through the dance in one piece, but with his attention torn between so many different things, the only way he knows that he didn’t mess it up is the audience’s reaction. Then again, they all seem so enamored with the Honeybee Inn and its dancers that they’d probably clap and holler even if the show fell to pieces in front of them. Aerith’s cheering isn’t fake, though, and neither is the look in Andrea’s eyes as they hold their final pose, foreheads pressed together. “You were absolutely enchanting, darling,” he murmurs.

Cloud’s heart stops for a beat or two, and then it starts again and he smirks. Just as quietly, he says, “At least I didn’t trip this time.” That startles a laugh out of Andrea, and the lights go down on his genuine smile. Cloud wants to permanently imprint the image on his mind.

The voice in the back of his head tells him he probably shouldn’t want that. He’s starting to care less and less what that voice has to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's curious, this was specifically supposed to be West Coast Swing. The only reason I didn't say that within the actual chapter is that it felt weird to give that name in a fictitious world with completely different geography lol


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates two days in a row, yay! And now I'm gonna go sleep, because I suddenly got unbelievably tired and almost dozed off while reading over this and trying to edit.
> 
> (PS: For anyone who didn't see my edited note on the last chapter, go check it out! There's some lovely artwork linked there! ^^)

To Cloud’s surprise, his fourth performance is much like his first. The crowd seems to love it, especially those who were there for the original, and they get twice as loud when the transformation happens onstage (it takes at least twice as long because he insists on dressing himself this time, but it’s no challenge for the Honeygirls to distract the crowd until he’s ready). It seems like a shame to put everyone’s time and effort to waste by ending it so soon, but there’s no way he’s going to wear the dress and makeup home. He doesn’t say anything, but it must show on his face, because Andrea smiles, subtly motions for his bees to go take a break, and drags out the last part of the show for as long as possible with just the two of them. The audience has no complaints about the extra showtime, of course.

By the time they head back to the dressing rooms, Cloud is utterly exhausted, but it’s the kind of exhaustion that comes with exercise and a job well done. He changes quickly and wipes away as much of the sweat as possible, then heads back into the main room to find Aerith. Cassius is sitting on top of the table next to her, and they’re chatting like old friends. Aerith gives a bittersweet smile when she sees Cloud. Sliding out of the booth with a little wave, she says regretfully, “Bye! We’ll talk more next time, okay?”

“Of course. Lovely to meet you, Aerith,” Cassius replies with a smile as he hops off the table. “Have a good night, you two.”

Cloud nods his own goodbye, and then they’re off. Aerith has a spring in her step that he’s sure wasn’t there earlier. “Make a new friend?” he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yep!” Aerith answers, grinning. She circles around in front of him, walking backwards, and asks, “Why? Are you jealous?”

“Nope.”

“I think you are! Of me or Cash?”

“Already calling him by a nickname, huh?” he asks, knowing that it will only encourage her. He plays along anyways, and sure enough, she giggles loudly in response.

“Don’t worry, Cloud! Nobody could ever take your place as my sidekick!” Cloud raises an eyebrow, but Aerith quickly becomes distracted from the game and changes the subject. “So, are you walking me home, or are we heading back to Sector 7?”

He shrugs. “Up to you.”

“Hmm… Let’s go to Seventh Heaven.”

“Won’t Elmyra worry?”

Aerith smiles at the ground. “I think she’s okay with me disappearing these days as long as she knows I’ll be with you.” She pauses, head tilted. “Or… maybe it’s just that she _has_ to be okay with it, because she knows that I won’t just stay in hiding forever.”

Cloud feels a pinch of discomfort; he understands Elmyra’s worry for her daughter and doesn’t like to be the cause of it. But she’s old enough to make her own decisions. “Alright. The bar it is, then.”

* * *

Apparently, the reason that Aerith wanted to go back to Sector 7 was to talk with Tifa. And although Cloud can’t hear them over Barret and Wedge’s enthusiastic conversation and the blaring jukebox right next to them, the amused looks they keep shooting him give him some idea of what they’re talking about. Although he didn’t expect to be able to keep his time at the Honeybee Inn a secret forever, it’s still frustrating and a little worrying. Even though he’s sure Aerith means no harm, it feels like a betrayal. He’ll have to figure out how to let the others know before it spreads any further.

His stomach feels like it’s trying to twist itself into knots at that thought. He’d happily ignore the need to come clean forever if it seemed possible.

Cloud stands suddenly, turning his back on the girls and challenging Wedge to a darts rematch. Wedge accepts with a grin; they’ve played several times lately, but Cloud has yet to beat him, and he’s permanently smug about having something that he’s better at than Cloud.

Wedge wins again, of course. Cloud doesn’t stand a chance when he’s distracted by thoughts he’d rather ignore, but by the time the game is over, he’s accepted the fact that he has to deal with this. With a glance at Tifa, he decides to figure out how to handle her first. _Take the problems as they come,_ he thinks, _Instead of drowning yourself all at once._

* * *

Cloud gets his chance after a few days of Tifa teasing him; it’s subtle enough that the others don’t catch on, but obvious enough that there’s no denying she knows about the Honeybee Inn and Andrea. It’s easier to deal with than he expected, but he still looks for an opportunity to catch her alone. He gets it when he reaches the door to Seventh Heaven one evening and hears yelling from inside. Barret and Tifa have been arguing about whether to continue with Avalanche’s plans lately, but he must have said something to make her _really_ mad this time; Cloud’s pretty sure he hasn’t heard her scream like that since they were kids.

Before he can decide what to do, the door flies open and nearly smacks him in the face. Cloud takes a quick step back and catches a short glimpse of Barret’s shocked look before it slams shut again. “You alright?” he asks as Tifa stomps by him. He follows her down the steps, walking quickly to catch up to her as she continues on down the road without looking at him.

“Fine,” she grits out. “Just gonna go kill things for a while.”

“Want me to go with you?”

Tifa pauses mid-stride, glaring up at him. “You think I can’t handle myself?”

Cloud takes a half-step back, holding his hands up in surrender. “I know you can. But you might slip up when you’re this pissed off, and I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll just sit back and let you do all the fighting if you want.”

She stares at him for a minute longer before letting out a long sigh, her defensive posture softening a bit. “No, you’re right. I probably shouldn’t even be fighting when I’m this worked up.”

He hesitates, but eventually suggests, “We could head to the gym instead of Scrap Boulevard, blow off some steam by training instead.” Tifa’s brows furrow in confusion, and he knows what she’s going to ask before she says anything. “There’s a pretty good place in Wall Market, and the owner could even give _you_ a run for your money.”

She looks intrigued by the prospect of getting an actual challenge but doesn’t give in right away. “Wall Market, hmm?” she questions with a slight smirk.

Cloud levels a flat look at her and tries not to give in to the goading. “Yep.”

“Alright, why not? Maybe we’ll run into… _someone interesting_ there. I have to admit, I’ve been a little bit jealous of your trips with Aerith lately. I didn’t exactly get to check out the city on my way to Don Corneo’s, after all.”

“Great. You ready to go now?” he asks, turning away in the vain hope that she’ll drop it if he brushes it off. Maybe he isn’t as ready for this talk as he thought.

Tifa glances down at her outfit, the same one she always wears for missions or training. “Yeah, I think I’m good,” she says with a huff of laughter. At least her amusement at his expense is helping her cool off a bit.

He nods and starts leading the way silently. There aren’t many monsters on the road anymore, since a few members of their group patrol every day to keep them manageable, but they take out the few that they _do_ come across easily. When they make it to sector 6, Tifa pauses to frown at one of Sam’s wagons before moving on. “It’s pretty,” she says, gazing around at the many attractions that Wall Market has to offer.

Cloud hums dubiously, but after a moment, he concedes, “At night.”

“It can’t be _that_ different during the day.”

He raises an eyebrow and, when she just keeps looking at him skeptically, admits, “It looks so different in the light that I got lost the first time I came during the day.”

Tifa stares at him for a moment longer before accepting it as truth. “Weird,” she says, turning away. “So where’s this gym at?”

“This way,” Cloud answers, leading her down the road. “There’s a colosseum too, if you wanna take a shot at that later.”

“…After I’ve calmed down, you mean,” she concludes, trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. He just nods; there’s no point in lying. “We’ll see. Maybe I won’t have to, if these guys are as good as you say they are. Might tire myself out just training.”

“Maybe.”

Cloud isn’t actually expecting them to run into Andrea. Despite Tifa’s teasing, he _really_ isn’t. So when they walk through the gym doors and he spots him doing pull-ups, surrounded by bodybuilders who are alternately cheering him on or begging him to stop, he freezes in shock. Tifa bumps into his shoulder with a small noise of confusion and follows his gaze. Glancing between the two of them, she says, “From the glitzy outfit and the look on your face, I’m guessing that’s the infamous Andrea.”

He looks down at her, wondering what exactly the look on his face _is_. Then he nods, does his best to school his expression, and continues walking. Tifa rushes ahead of him, and for a moment, Cloud panics. She doesn’t say anything, though, just bounces around in excitement as she watches Andrea’s form. Cloud hesitates for a moment before following.

“Cloud… How are you?” Andrea grunts out when he spots him, not pausing in his pull-ups.

“…Alright,” Cloud answers simply. His attempt to ignore the way Andrea’s muscles strain his clothes as he moves is failing, so he quickly distracts himself by looking to Tifa and waving her over.

“Well, well,” Andrea says before Cloud can even attempt to get introductions out of the way. “What do we have here? I can see you’re someone who likes to train, to be their very best.”

“Me?” Tifa asks, confused but happy. Cloud doesn’t quite manage to hide a proud smile; he knows that’s just about the best compliment Andrea could give someone, especially when they haven’t even met properly. The man is obsessed with training his own mind and body and pushing himself to his absolute limits, and he’s bound to approve of anyone else who does the same.

“Your physique: slender, yet toned. And that perfectly balanced symmetry. I can tell from a glance that you learned from the best there is.” He pauses to breathe before continuing, “But your muscles look tight, which can only mean one thing—you’re conflicted.”

“…Or angry,” she admits, smiling sheepishly.

Andrea huffs out a laugh, but before he can say anything else, Jules cuts in. “Excuse me. You’re Tifa, right? While you’re here, wanna give Andi a run for his money? Work up a sweat, release some endorphins. It’s the answer to everything. I promise.”

“I’m in… if you are,” Andrea agrees, finally dropping from the bar. He looks to Cloud expectantly. “But I think introductions are in order first.”

Cloud nods, motioning from one to the other as he speaks. “Andrea, this is Tifa. She’s an old friend, and the one I went to Corneo’s to find. Tifa, this is Andrea.” He stops abruptly, not sure how to explain his relationship with the other man. Then he remembers how Jules had just introduced him and rolls his eyes. “Or… Andi, I guess.” As expected, it really doesn’t sound right coming from him.

“It’s lovely to meet you, darling,” Andrea says, shaking her hand with a charming smile. It’s nothing compared to his usual level of flirtation, but Tifa still blushes slightly as she stutters out an agreement, probably still thrown by his earlier compliments. Cloud hides a smirk; he’s not above holding that over her if she tries to give _him_ shit about Andrea anymore.

After watching Tifa carefully for a few more seconds, Andrea turns to him. “You found what you were looking for, then?”

Cloud eyes him, trying to get a read on Andrea from his expression. “Thanks to you I did,” he eventually answers with a hint of a smile. They both know he isn’t _only_ talking about Tifa.

Andrea’s eyes zero in on his lips, and he stares in surprise for a moment before returning the smile. “Good. Now never let it go again.”

Tifa glances back and forth between them for a minute before speaking up hesitantly. “I’m ready whenever you are. I’ll just wait over—” She starts to turn away, pointing towards the ring, but Andrea stops her with a shake of his head.

“I’m ready now,” he says, and she smiles excitedly. “Alright then. The winner will be the one who does the most pull-ups.”

Tifa nods, and they head for the ring together. Cloud follows, leaning against the wall to watch with his arms crossed. Jules joins them after a minute, shooting Cloud an amused smile before saying, “I’ll time you. One minute sound good?”

They glance at each other and nod. Andrea crowds close to Tifa and says, “It’s just the two of us now.” Cloud’s nails dig into his arm. Tifa, on the other hand, hardly blinks. Although she might have been flustered just a minute ago, she’s already in a competitive mood now, and absolutely nothing will distract her.

It’s not a fair fight. They both give it their all, but Andrea’s obviously worn out and drops from the bar several times. Still, he takes his loss gracefully, grinning as he says, “You truly are perfection, my dear.” They sit to catch their breath, and after a few moments he continues, “It seems you’ve bested me, Tifa.”

“I can’t believe… I won,” she replies, panting.

"Your fiery passion pushed me to my limits and helped me to overcome my lingering stress and fatigue. I'll be taking the stage tonight in the best condition of my life. Thank you."

"No, thank _you_ for... the same!" Tifa says excitedly.

They grin at each other, and Jules whispers to Cloud, “See, what’d I tell you? Exercise and endorphins fix everything.” Cloud huffs out a laugh and moves to join the other two, leaning against the ropes.

"I would be honored if you joined me onstage for a performance someday," Andrea says to Tifa, and Cloud smirks.

“Maybe I should bring her along next time.”

“Onst…?” Tifa trails off, looking confused. After a few seconds, her gaze snaps to Cloud, eyes wide. “Oh my god, Cloud! Have you been _dancing?_ ”

He blanches. “I…assumed Aerith told you.”

She shakes her head wildly, hair whipping around her. “She told me the two of you had been visiting the Honeybee Inn, but she didn’t say you were going as a _performer!_ ” Tifa’s fists clench and she seems to fight with herself for a moment before whining, “Please let me go next time! In all the years we’ve known each other, I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen you dance! I promise I won’t tease you!”

She crawls closer and holds her pinky finger up, but Cloud ignores it. “I don’t think you can promise that,” he mutters. Tifa looks slightly offended, but he’s too busy trying to figure out how the hell to break the _other_ half of this news to her to notice. He glances to Andrea, hoping for some help, but the other man’s face is carefully blank as he watches them. Cloud looks back to Tifa again, in all her hopeful excitement, and sighs. “Alright,” he agrees, head dropping to stare at the floor. He’s never going to live this down.

Tifa drops her hand but says, “I’m holding you to it!”

“Don’t worry, dear,” Andrea says, smirking. “If Cloud doesn’t invite you, then _I_ will.”

“Thanks, Andrea!” They sit there for a minute longer, catching their breath, before she jumps back up. Loudly, she asks, “Alright, who else wants to challenge me!”

Unsurprisingly, Ronnie is the first one to volunteer. Cloud rolls his eyes; Ronnie acts tough, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He heads for the low tables in the corner to get comfortable for a while to watch. Tifa’s obviously settling in for the long haul, which is probably a good thing. The more she wears herself out and pushes herself to her limits, the happier and more forgiving she’ll be when they eventually get back to Sector 7.

“She’s a tough one,” Andrea says lowly, taking a seat next to him.

“Body and mind,” Cloud agrees, his eyes not leaving the ring. He smirks when Ronnie falls for the second time. “Why’d you accept the challenge? I heard them say you’d already been going for hours; you had no hope of winning.”

“Because she needed it,” the other man says simply. After a few seconds of silence, he chuckles and adds, “And because I couldn’t resist showing off a bit, even if I knew I’d lose.”

Cloud turns to look at him then, one eyebrow raised, but Andrea just smiles and winks. He gapes for a moment, then turns back to the match just in time to see Tifa strike a victory pose as Ronnie and Jay swap places. “I don’t know why it keeps surprising me that you’re so shameless,” he says, but there’s no heat to it. If anything, he’s amused. Having Tifa to focus on, and the balanced energy she carries with her, is somehow helping him stay calm. It’s… nice, to have a conversation with Andrea where he isn’t too flustered to think straight. It probably helps that he doesn’t have to be paranoid about how he’s dressed or how he’s moving.

“‘Shameless?’” Andrea repeats in mock offense, holding a hand over his heart. “I’d prefer ‘confident,’ honey.”

“Yeah, you’re definitely that, too…” Cloud says, a huff of quiet laughter escaping him. He watches Tifa and Jay for a few more moments before standing up abruptly; although he hadn’t really been planning to work out himself, he’s suddenly itching to move. “Spot me?” he asks over his shoulder as he starts walking, trusting that Andrea will follow. He does.

He heads for an empty bench and starts piling weights onto the barbell, not looking at Andrea, who’s hovering behind him patiently. Not looking seems to help. He hesitates for a moment before pulling his shirt off and dropping it on the floor next to the bench before laying down. Jules shoots him a look and says, “There _is_ a locker room, you know,” but he doesn’t stop to scold him properly, apparently going to take his place as Tifa’s (presumably) last challenger.

Cloud catches Andrea’s appreciative gaze as he gets into position above him. He smirks, but doesn’t let himself linger on it for long, turning his full attention to the workout as soon as Andrea’s hands are in place. It starts off easy, but he’s not used to this kind of workout anymore. The only weight he lifts regularly is the Buster Sword, and that isn’t constant. It gets tiring fast and he has to do shorter sets than he’d like, but he goes for as long as he can, until he’s drenched in sweat and his arms are shaking. And then he keeps going, for a few more reps, until Andrea actually has to help him rack the weight. It’s not the best performance of his life, but still far better than most people who haven’t been bathed in mako would ever manage.

Cloud sits up, shaking as his muscles protest even that much movement. Andrea rests a hand on his shoulder, supporting him for a moment until he steadies himself. “Are you alright? You shouldn’t push yourself that hard, honey.”

He shakes his head, taking another minute to just breathe before he says, “I’m fine. That was nothing.” Andrea circles around in front of him to give him a disbelieving look, hands on his hips. His concern is mixed with what almost seems like anger, and Cloud fights the urge to fold in on himself. “Really. I know my limits, and it’s not like I kept going to the point of risking an injury. Besides, I don’t think _you_ have any right to talk.” He chuckles breathlessly, relieved when the tension seems to break and Andrea drops his arms.

“I suppose you’re right,” Andrea says, glancing away. He bends to grab Cloud’s shirt, holding it out to him with a small, amused smile.

Cloud puts it back on, making a face at the feeling of the cloth immediately sticking to his skin, and Andrea laughs. He stands up, stretching, and glances around to find Tifa sitting at one of the little tables and talking to Jules. She’s shooting him a look every once in a while, and after a minute, he gives her a tiny nod. She glances at Andrea, then hesitantly stands to join them. She seems a bit nervous, but excitement takes over as she tells him, “I won! Only by one, and I felt like I was gonna collapse by the end, but I did it! You were right, Jules really was just the challenge I needed!”

“Good job,” he says with a tiny smile, and Tifa beams like it’s the highest praise she’s ever received. “How long have you been done?”

She glances at Andrea again and says vaguely, “A while… Didn’t wanna interrupt your workout, though, so we just talked for a bit.”

Cloud grunts in acknowledgment and, after a few seconds, asks, “You ready to go, then?”

“Sure…” she says, nodding.

“Thanks for… the help,” Cloud says, turning to Andrea. “I’ll see you… next time.”

“Of course,” Andrea replies with a dip of his head. “I expect to see _both of you_ at the Honeybee Inn soon.”

Cloud groans but nods. He’d _almost_ managed to forget about that.

Tifa says her goodbyes to everyone, grinning as they leave. “I can’t wait for the show! I’m sure it’ll be amazing!” He suspects she’s trying to put him at ease, but it only stresses Cloud out more. He’s glad for the fact that he’s too tired to settle into any real panic, but he keeps running through different scenarios in his head of how to tell her the truth. All of them end terribly, and even though he knows it’s just his mind playing tricks on him, he can’t bring himself to say anything.

It’ll just have to be a surprise, then—hopefully the kind that _doesn’t_ go horribly wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The longest chapter yet, and it... has almost no Andrea/Cloud content. Sorry! XD; It does start to set up the strange side pairing that some of you may have noticed I added a tag for, though. (Like, "strange" as in "I'm somehow the only person who's ever used that tag on AO3" strange. Uh... I have no explanation lol)
> 
> If something about the Honeygirls seems a little off in this chapter, it’s because I went back and changed one of their names. I realized it was way too similar to another character who will appear in the near future, and I’m… just way too attached to her to change her name, to be honest. Also, I keep thinking about Halsey’s “Alone” while writing this, so Cloud’s outfit in this chapter is partially an homage to her crazy look in the music video lol

When Cloud goes to Seventh Heaven the next morning, it’s unlocked but empty. Or at least, it seems like it is until he hears a quiet noise from behind the bar. Brows furrowed and one hand on the hilt of his sword, he goes to investigate, relaxing when he sees Tifa kneeling to talk to Marlene.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” she’s saying with a sad smile. She pulls the little girl into a hug. “I’m not mad at you, I promise.”

“But you’re mad at Daddy,” Marlene replies, and that’s clearly just as upsetting to her. “He’s really, _really_ sorry!”

“Well, he’ll have to tell me that himself, then,” Tifa says, the words turning to venom on her tongue. Cloud’s almost glad Barret’s not here to see this. If he knew the damage he’d done, even he wouldn’t be able to guard himself against her wrath.

“I take it you didn’t make up, then?” Cloud asks dryly once he’s sure that they’ve noticed his presence.

Tifa shrugs, not looking at him. “Kind of,” she answers, voice wobbling. She wipes at her eyes swiftly, as if annoyed with herself for crying in the first place. Marlene clings to her even tighter. Despite her fear of Cloud, she still looks to him for help, peering over Tifa’s shoulder with wide, wet eyes.

“What do you mean, ‘kind of?’” he asks, stepping closer.

Tifa sighs and stands up, taking a seat on one of the stools and lifting Marlene into her lap. “I don’t know. I guess we just kind of… ignored it and acted like nothing happened,” she says, staring at the bar. He raises an unimpressed eyebrow, knowing that’s exactly the kind of thing that she would scold _him_ for. Without even looking at him, she says, “I know, I know! But I just… I don’t know what more I can say if he’s…”

She trails off, making Cloud look at her questioningly. After a minute of silence, he prods, “If he’s… what?”

Tifa hesitates for a few more moments before breathing out, “If he’s so dead set on this fucking suicide mission.” Marlene flinches at the curse, which would probably be funnier at any other time, considering who her father is. Tifa kisses her forehead in apology and continues, “Barret just… He’s just so hellbent on taking down Shinra. It feels like that’s all it’s about now. Not saving the planet, or standing up for the people in the slums. I…” She takes a deep breath and lets it out on a sigh, trying to speak more calmly. “He tried to bring up the plan to blow up the reactor again, even though we still don’t have a plan to protect everyone. It’s like he doesn’t even care who gets hurt because of his quest for revenge anymore—including himself, or the rest of Avalanche.”

Cloud looks away, fingers tapping on the counter as he tries to think of anything at all to say to comfort her, but he’s got nothing. Tifa sighs after a minute. “It’s alright,” she says, “I didn’t expect you to have an answer. I don’t either, obviously. Maybe I’m just overthinking things; I know he doesn’t _want_ anyone to get hurt. Maybe I’m just seeing something that isn’t there and just need to distract myself for a while.”

He runs a hand through his hair, messing it up even more than usual. After a long moment of hesitation, he lets out a slow breath and says, “I can at least offer a distraction.”

“Oh?” she asks, looking at him curiously. When she catches the embarrassed look on his face, she gasps excitedly. “No! Really?!”

“…Yeah, why not? I wasn’t planning to go tonight, but it can’t hurt anything but my pride,” Cloud answers with a weak laugh.

Tifa gives him a concerned look and tries to hide her disappointment when she says, “If it really bothers you that much, then we don’t have to. I don’t want to upset you.”

He shakes his head. “No, it’s okay. Just… don’t tell the others, alright? Not yet, at least.”

“Okay…” she agrees, not terribly reassured by his attitude. Cloud nods, and they fall into silence, both stuck in their own heads. Marlene curls further into Tifa and watches them with a worried frown.

* * *

“You ready to go?” Cloud calls as he knocks on Tifa’s door that night.

She appears a few moments later, tugging self-consciously on the blue dress she’d had at Don Corneo’s. “It’s the only dress I own,” she explains with a nervous smile. “I don’t wear them very often anymore.”

“It looks good,” he says with a nod. Tifa smiles but doesn’t look very convinced. “We’ll have to pick up Aerith before we head for the Honeybee Inn.”

“She can’t make it there on her own?” she asks, confused. “Because she _definitely_ kicked ass at Corneo’s, and in the sewers.”

Cloud snorts. “Oh, she can. She just likes to pretend that she can’t.”

Tifa hums in thought. “Maybe she thinks you won’t spend time with her anymore if you don’t have to be her bodyguard,” she suggests offhandedly. He narrows his eyes at her, and she shrugs. “Just a thought! I don’t know her well enough to really say.”

“Let’s just get going,” Cloud says with a sigh. He’s hyperaware of the weight of the earrings in his pocket in a way he hasn’t been since the first time he’d gone back to the Honeybee Inn voluntarily.

* * *

Aerith stares at them in confusion for a long time when they show up on her doorstep. “Is something wrong…?” she eventually asks, brows furrowing worriedly.

“No. We’re going to the Honeybee Inn. Are you coming?” Cloud asks curtly. Her eyes widen as she glances to Tifa and then back to him.

“Oh! Um, yeah, of course, you know I’d never miss it! Give me just a minute to get ready!”

He nods, and she steps aside to let them in before running up the stairs. Cloud settles against the wall with his arms crossed, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the stares he can feel from the women in the room. It doesn’t work for long.

“Is everything alright, Cloud?” Elmyra asks. He opens his eyes and gives her a tiny smile. They’ve grown a bit more comfortable with each other since she started to realize that Aerith is going to do whatever she wants and neither of them have any influence over that.

“Nothing you need to worry about, Elmyra,” he promises.

She watches him for a moment before saying shrewdly, “I’m going to worry about _anything_ that involves my daughter, regardless of whether it’s ‘dangerous’ or not.”

He shrugs uncomfortably, but is saved by the sound of Aerith running back downstairs. She’s wearing her usual pink dress but has abandoned the jacket and traded out her boots for a pair of heels. “Okay, I’m ready! Let’s go!” she says, grinning. It falls off her face as she takes in the tense atmosphere of the room. Her gaze pauses on Cloud’s face and she frowns, dropping her eyes to the floor as she takes the last few stairs.

He turns around with a nod and opens the door, but Aerith grabs his wrist, preventing him from leaving. Tifa gives them a curious look, but after a moment, she nods and heads outside alone. Cloud turns to Aerith, but she just stares at the floor and doesn’t let go of him. It takes a few minutes before she’s ready to speak. “I’m… I’m really, really sorry, Cloud,” she says quietly. “We got talking, and… I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, and I messed up. I know it’s no excuse, but I didn’t mean to hurt you or upset you. I’m _sorry_ ,” she repeats, finally dropping his hand and clenching her own into a fist. She still won’t meet his eyes, face downturned as she bites her lip so hard he wonders if it will bleed.

“…Okay,” he says eventually. Aerith risks a glance at him, still distressed but hopeful, and Cloud shrugs. “I believe you. Just… let me keep my personal business _mine_ from now on, okay?”

She nods earnestly. “I promise! I _really_ didn’t even mean to let it slip this time, I swear, it was just that… Well, Tifa was…” Aerith huffs out a sigh and shakes her head. “Never mind. I messed up, and I won’t do it again.”

“Alright,” Cloud says. He holds his arm out for her to cling to like she always does; it’s the easiest way he can think of to let her know that her apology’s accepted. “Now let’s get going, or we’re gonna be late.”

Aerith smiles and takes the invitation. “Right!”

As they leave, Aerith hooks her other arm into Tifa’s and pulls her along. Tifa blinks in surprise, but laughs and goes along with it when she realizes that the tension in the air between them has dissipated.

“So what should I expect from this show?” Tifa asks, glancing between them. “I’ve never actually been to the Honeybee Inn; all I know is that it involves dancing.”

Aerith puts a finger up to her lips and winks. “All I can say is that you’re in for a treat!”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “What she _means_ is that she has no idea, because it’s always different.”

“Wait…” Tifa says, eyes widening. “Do _you_ even know what you’re doing?”

“Nope,” he says with a chuckle. “I will soon, though.”

“But how—”

“Just go with it,” Aerith insists with a shrug. “ _Nobody_ understands how, not even the bees.”

“I, um… Okay, then,” Tifa agrees, though she keeps shooting Cloud confused looks for the rest of the walk there. He does his best to hide his smirk and pretend he doesn’t notice.

As they walk through the doors, Cloud gets an idea. It might be one that ends with him in a world of pain, but he can’t resist the opportunity for a little bit of payback. “You two sit down; I need to talk to Andrea for a few minutes.” Aerith gives him a confused look, but they obediently sit down on one of the lobby’s couches.

The receptionist ( _Something starting with an A_ _…_ Cloud thinks, vowing that he’ll manage to remember his name one of these days) must overhear him, because he smiles at Cloud and points to the stairs. “You’ve got good timing; he’s in his office.”

“Thanks,” Cloud says with a nod. He glances at the girls one last time before heading up.

* * *

“You can head in now; sorry I made you wait,” Cloud says to Aerith when he returns.

She nods and makes her way to the doors. Tifa tries to follow, but Cloud grabs her hand and starts pulling her back to the stairs. “Huh?”

Aerith pauses, but continues on with a laugh when Cloud sends her a sly smile. “Nope, you’re coming with me,” he says to Tifa. “Andrea wanted _you_ onstage too, remember? That’s the price you have to pay for witnessing… what’s about to happen.”

“What?!” she shrieks, pulling back. “Nuh-uh, no way!”

He raises an eyebrow and echoes her words from earlier. “If it really bothers you that much, then you don’t _have_ to… But it’s probably a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Tifa stares at him, looking conflicted. Eventually, she looks to the ground and asks, “…Would I have to wear one of those silly bee costumes?”

“I have no idea,” he answers with a shrug. She glares at him. “What? I’m not gonna _lie_ to you just to get you onstage.”

Her arm goes limp in his grip. “…Okay,” she agrees finally. “But I reserve the right to back out if it gets too crazy.”

“Fair enough, but _you_ _’ll_ be the one to tell Andrea if you do.”

“…Fine.”

“Great. Now follow me.” Cloud leads her back up the stairs and knocks on one of the doors. Justine opens it with a curious look, and Cloud pushes Tifa in front of him. “Andrea told me to bring her to you guys. I trust you can take care of things from here?”

Her eyes light up, and Pyra’s head pops up over her shoulder. “Ooh, a new star for the evening?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t worry, Cloud,” Justine says with a grin. “We’ve got it under control.”

“Thanks. See you in a while,” he says to all of them. Tifa gives him a confused look, and he waves. “They’ll help you get ready, and I’ll see you onstage.”

The door closes, and he heads to his usual changing room. Cassius is there as always, waiting for anyone who comes through for makeup help. “What’s got you so happy?” he asks, amused, and Cloud abruptly realizes that he’s been grinning to himself since he left Tifa with the girls.

“A friend’s here today, and she’ll be performing. I _might_ have left her to the sharks,” he admits, and Cash barks out a laugh.

“Come now, don’t be mean. She’s in good hands.”

“Good,” Cloud agrees, “And terrifying. Especially because she has no idea what to expect from this place.”

“Soo…” he drawls. “Like you on your first night.”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“And you ended up loving it, and you’re still coming back for more,” Cassius points out.

Cloud’s first instinct is to deny it, but what would even be the use in trying at this point? So instead he just says, “Which is why I don’t feel _too_ bad about abandoning her in there.”

He’s been hovering over the dresses throughout their conversation, hesitant, and Cash finally seems to notice. “I’m sure Andi would understand if you chose not to wear any of those tonight with your friend here,” he says reassuringly. “Hell, you can wear _my_ outfit if you want.”

“I know he wouldn’t mind. He told me as much himself when I talked to him a little while ago, but…” Cloud trails off, shaking his head.

“Oh?” Cassius asks, intrigued.

“I just…” Cloud shrugs uncomfortably. “She’ll find out sooner or later. Better to get it out of the way now, I guess.”

“I suppose so,” he agrees, though it seems like that wasn’t quite the answer he was hoping for. “Do you want any help choosing, then?”

Cloud hesitates for a minute before shaking his head again. “No, I think I’ve got it this time… Hopefully nobody expects me to know perfectly what the hell I’m doing.”

“Of course not. You’ll look marvelous in anything you choose, though. Promise,” Cassius says with a wink before turning back to the mirror.

He eventually settles on a pale peach thing that settles just past his knees and is covered in shimmering studs and sequins. It has a thick band above the waist that gives the slightest illusion of curves but doesn’t restrict his breathing the way the corsets had, and the rest flows loosely. It’s held up by thin straps on his shoulders, and it makes Cloud do a double-take as he passes the mirror. He’s not used to his shoulders and biceps being exposed when he’s dressed like this, and he frowns at his own reflection. He’s just about to take it off and try to find something else when Cassius glances over and says approvingly, “Very glamorous. Come here and I’ll give you a look to match.”

Cloud hesitates for a few seconds longer before moving to take a seat at Cash’s little makeup station, closing his eyes both to let the other man work and so that he doesn’t keep looking in the mirror and end up changing his mind after all. “Hmm… More dramatic eyeliner this time, I think,” he hears Cassius mutter to himself as he gets started, “And maybe lipstick instead of gloss…” He cringes at the feeling of the lipstick, but doesn’t realize that he’s scraping at it with his teeth until Cash scolds, “Stop that, you’ll ruin it! And you might make your lip bleed, too. You should really start using some chapstick or something before they start cracking on you.”

When Cloud finally opens his eyes again, he finds Cassius looking at him with a considering expression. “Hair isn’t exactly my specialty…” he warns, “But unless you want your friend to see you before you’re all ready, then I don’t think you’ll be able to go to Manda or Pyra this time. I can take a stab at it if you want; I don’t think I’m _too_ terrible.”

“Sure,” Cloud agrees nervously, but by the time they’ve finished he has no idea what either of them was worried about. His hair is smoothed back and gathered into a ponytail, and the extensions fall over one shoulder in an elegant curl.

“Now if only I knew a way to keep it in place while you moved,” Cassius says with a laugh. “It should at least hold its shape, though. I think that’s the best I can manage. Don’t forget the jewelry if you want any. They’ve moved it to that drawer,” he says, pointing to the vanity where Cloud always leaves his clothes. Embarrassingly, he’s starting to think of it as _his_ spot. Teasingly, he adds, “And shoes, of course. Don’t wanna leave without those.”

Cloud shoots him a weak glare but stands up and picks out a pair of plain pumps that are even lighter than the dress, then sits down to dig through the drawer. He slides on a couple of rings and, after a minute of indecision, a thin layered gold necklace with a sun and moon pendant. As he trades out his earrings, Cassius hovers behind him with a soft smile. “Those are something of a good luck charm to you now, huh…?”

He stares at the earrings in the mirror and eventually answers, “Yeah, something like that, I guess…”

“It’s sweet,” he says as he steps away again. “Good luck,” he adds when Cloud stands up to leave, but it’s softer than usual, and Cloud gets the feeling he’s referencing a lot more than just the night’s show.

* * *

Cloud has no idea what to expect when Pyra leads him out behind the hexagonal pillars, each raised a bit higher than the last so that they form a staircase of sorts with the highest point at the back center of the stage. She positions him on a lowered platform behind all the others before disappearing with a wink, and he shakes his head and takes a deep breath as the lights dim. The music starts, the platform rises, and at the top he sees… Tifa. They stare at each other with matching expressions of surprise, and Andrea laughs delightedly from his spot behind her. Tifa joins him after a moment, and even Cloud can’t help the amused quirk of his lips.

She’s wearing what’s obviously a hastily-altered version of the Honeyboy outfit, complete with hat but missing the vest. The bowtie’s been replaced with a plain black tie, and she’s still wearing her suspenders. The shirt’s bagginess is halfway successful in hiding the swell of her chest, but the girls must have either decided that they liked her hair as-is or that there was just too much of it to do anything with, because it still hangs down her back in her usual style. Tifa looks _good_ , surprisingly so, but Cloud can’t help but wonder what they’d manage with some more time and preparation.

She tips her hat to him as she steps forward and offers her arm with a smirk. He hooks his hand into her elbow lightly, and they start down the platform “stairs,” slowly stepping in time with the beat. “When they told me I’d be ‘escorting’ someone down the stairs, I was pretty confused,” Tifa says, voice as quiet as she can manage while still being heard over the music. “Never would’ve guessed it’d be _you_!”

“This… isn’t exactly what I expected, either,” Cloud admits with a chuckle.

Tifa falls silent for a few seconds, but as they reach the floor, she asks hesitantly, “I guess this must’ve been where you got the makeover to get into Don Corneo’s then, huh?” He hums an affirmative answer as they reach center stage, and Tifa seems to suddenly remember where they are and what they’re supposed to be doing. “I don’t know how to dance!” she whispers urgently.

“The girls didn’t put you through their boot camp?”

“I… Kind of?” she says, confused and overwhelmed. He knows the feeling.

“That’s okay,” Cloud says with a hint of a smile. He takes one of her hands in his own. “Just follow my lead.” The song is new, but the rhythm is familiar as it picks up speed, and he throws a grateful glance to Andrea and Manda, who are dancing together on the top platform. Manda notices him looking their way and gives him a quick smile, exaggerating the movements of their waltz for a few moments in case he hasn’t caught on. He has.

It feels strange to lead now, especially with how they’re dressed, but he does the best he can, and Tifa keeps them moving whenever Cloud’s mind stumbles over how to reverse the steps he’d learned before. They must make for a very strange and unprofessional picture, but it’s surprisingly fun, and as he’s guessed before, the audience doesn’t even seem to care. Judging by the shouts as they move near the edge of the stage, Tifa seems to have picked up a number of instant fans, and she blushes prettily when she notices. Cloud spins her a few times, startling a laugh out of her. Tifa covers her mouth, embarrassed, but the dancers around them just smile, obviously getting a kick out of their newest guest and her reactions.

As the song ends, Cloud wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her in close. He doesn’t quite dare to go for a dip; although he’s fairly certain he wouldn’t drop Tifa, the tiny chance that he _could_ is terrifying, and he doesn’t want to risk ruining the night for her when she’s grinning like she is. Still, she seems to catch onto the idea and bends backward dramatically, one hand holding the hat on her head while the other clings to his shoulder.

Everyone comes to the front of the stage for the final bow, and Andrea sends them both a fond smile as he takes Cloud’s free hand. They return the smile and Cloud squeezes his hand briefly, hoping the message comes through. _Thank you._ He doesn’t quite know how to say it with words, because there are too many things he’s thankful _for_. For helping him see and understand this side of himself. For never once looking at him with judgment in his eyes. For setting tonight up in a way that let him see Tifa having the time of her life. There's just too much.

* * *

“That was so fun!” Tifa says excitedly as they join Aerith at her table, but the night’s clearly taken a lot out of her. She slumps down on the bench next to the other woman and shoots Cloud a tired grin. “Still, though— _never again._ ”

He nods, chuckling. “Sorry I dragged you into it like that.”

“No you aren’t,” she says with a roll of her eyes, but she’s still smiling. “Lesson learned, though; what goes around comes around. I hope you’ll still let me come to watch you in the future, though!”

“I… I guess so, if you want to,” Cloud says hesitantly. He’d nearly managed to forget his _own_ embarrassment about the situation because of _hers._

Tifa’s expression softens, and she takes his hand, squeezing comfortingly. “Cloud,” she says, staring straight into his eyes. “It’s okay. There’s absolutely _nothing_ to be ashamed of. You were absolutely incredible up there, and…” She pauses, laughing quietly. “And now that I’ve gotten a taste of what it feels like, I couldn’t _possibly_ judge you for enjoying it. Not that I ever would have anyways!” Cloud can only nod, so after a few moments of silence, she drops his hand with another grin. “So _yes_ , I definitely want to come again sometime.”

“…Okay.”

“Great!” She makes a face and pulls at her tie uncomfortably, which seems to suddenly remind her of what she’s wearing. “Oh, uh… I’m gonna go get changed. I’ll be back in a few.”

“Right.” Cloud flinches and glances down at his own outfit. “I should do that too.”

“Hurry back!” Aerith tells them, too happy. (Cloud knows she’s joking; she knows it takes an insane amount of time for him to get changed and scrub all the makeup off of his face. It’s by far the most annoying part of these nights.)

* * *

“Tifa not back yet?” Cloud asks when he returns to find Aerith sitting by herself. “That’s surprising. It didn’t seem like they messed with her makeup much.” He blinks; the fact that he could even recognize that much is a surprise.

“Actually… she already left,” Aerith answers sheepishly. “Said she didn’t want to leave Biggs and Jessie in charge of the bar for too long.”

“Makes sense. I wouldn’t trust them not to blow the place up.”

“Hey now, don’t be mean,” she says, smacking his arm lightly. “They’re perfectly competent. And you _know_ it, too, or you wouldn’t have stuck around after that first mission.”

Cloud rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. “You ready to go?”

Aerith laughs; she knows she’s won. “Sure. I need to stop at my house though, so I’ll meet you back at Seventh Heaven later.”

“You sure?” he asks, brows furrowed. “I can walk you there.”

She shakes her head. “That’s alright. It… might take me a while.”

“What are you hiding?” he asks, going off a gut feeling. This isn’t like her.

Aerith just gives him a sly smile. “You’ll see. Now let’s go!”

“Alright…” Cloud agrees, but he’s strangely nervous. He hopes that whatever this surprise is, it has nothing to do with him.

* * *

For once, it doesn’t.

Jessie runs in and starts a commotion with suspiciously convenient timing, and Aerith sneaks in just after she drags Tifa outside. It’s not too unusual to see her walk into Seventh Heaven with a handful of fresh flowers for the vase on the counter, but… “The whole basket?” Cloud asks, raising an eyebrow. “Are you gonna go sell some after you leave? Isn’t it a little late?”

Aerith looks at the flowers with a soft smile, then gives Cloud a wink and presses a finger to her lips. “Actually… Barret bought them all. I think he’s trying to apologize to Tifa.”

“Really?”

“Yep!” she says cheerfully as she sets about filling glasses with water and arranging the flowers in them. “Help me out? I wanna be out of here before she comes back. She’ll just try to thank me, but this is Barret’s surprise, not mine.” Cloud nods and joins her. By the time they’re done, the vase is full, along with a glass on each of the tables. Aerith places a final one on the center of the bar, where Tifa’s bound to see it when she walks through the doors. She glances down at the empty basket with a satisfied smile. “Alright, I’m gone now. See you tomorrow!”

“Yeah, I think I’ll head out too.” It feels like he’d be spying on something personal if he stayed, never mind that it’s in the middle of a completely public space. They exit the bar together and head opposite ways with a quick goodbye.

Tifa catches Cloud halfway down the road. “Heading home already?” she asks, head tilted.

“Yeah, I’m pretty tired,” he lies.

She laughs. “I don’t blame you. It was… an eventful night. Well, I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

Tifa keeps walking, and Jessie trails after her, shooting him a panicked look. He nods, and it falls to a relieved smile. “Uhh, sorry Tifa, I’m out too! I just remembered that… Wedge asked me to feed his cats!”

“…Isn’t Wedge home right now?”

“Uh, yep! Did I say _his_ cats? I meant the strays that hang out in the middle of town!”

“Um… Okay…” Tifa drawls, clearly confused and not buying a word of Jessie’s story. Cloud rolls his eyes and gives a half wave before continuing down the street, not wanting to hear the rest of it. For a supposed actress, Jessie is one of the worst liars he’s ever met.

As he enters his apartment, Cloud remembers Tifa’s grin while they danced and imagines her reaction when she finds the flowers. A small smile creeps onto his face. Hopefully he won’t find her crying anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify, although Cloud might think so because of his own experience here, the girls weren’t actually going for a super “masculine” look with Tifa so much as a “hot lesbian in suspenders” look, because if this fic is me being self-indulgent in every other way, then why not this one too? XD;
> 
> These were the closest pics I could find to what I was going for, so… [You're](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a1/b9/1f/a1b91f6620c4e9c080550056bed501cd.jpg) [welcome](https://lookbook.nu/look/182878-White-Shirt-Black-Suspender-Stripes-Pants-Studded) lol


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, have I mentioned yet that this fic has gotten out of hand? Because it really, really has. With the file currently sitting at 51.5k words and nowhere near done, this is officially the longest thing I've ever written... including a Hannibal fic that I've been working on off and on for more than three years XD;
> 
> I hope you're all settled in for a long ride!
> 
> Although it doesn't go into any detail, please be aware that this chapter has some discussion of both abuse and trauma, and sex work (as unrelated topics).

Cloud starts spending his nights helping Tifa at Seventh Heaven when it suddenly gets busier than usual, and between that and his lingering nerves, it’s more than two weeks before he returns to the Honeybee Inn. He picks Aerith up as usual, and he feels simultaneously jittery and soothed as they make their way back to Wall Market.

Andrea is standing over the reception desk when they arrive, face pinched as he and Sophia talk in hushed tones. He glances up when they walk in and sighs in relief. “I must have amazing luck for you to show up tonight! One of my boys is out sick, so Lori doesn’t have a partner. Would you mind filling in?”

“Sure.”

“Great, thank you,” he sighs. “Cash can show you where the spare costumes are, and I’ll go let Lori know. We don’t have a lot of time left, so I’m not sure how much practice you can get in, but you pick things up quickly and have seen the routine plenty of times by now, so I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Slow down, Andrea,” Sophia warns him, one eyebrow raised. “Take a deep breath.”

He does, letting his shoulders sag as he exhales. “Right. Thank you, my dear.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll go find Cassius, then,” Cloud says.

Andrea nods a goodbye and turns to Aerith, who waves as Cloud disappears up the stairs. “Coming with me, darling? Your table’s free.”

“Of course it is,” she says with a laugh. “You aren’t even letting people in the door yet!”

“My point still stands that it’s _your_ table now,” he says, voice fading into the distance. Cloud kind of wishes he could hear Aerith’s undoubtedly excited response, but Andrea was right; they don’t have much time, so he hurries upstairs to the dressing room.

“You’re here!” Cash says when he walks through the door.

“Don’t sound so surprised; it was only a couple of weeks.”

“Well, it’s usually not that long between your appearances. I was starting to think you’d left us for good.” His voice is light, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

Cloud glances away guiltily. “Andrea said you could show me where the spare costumes are?”

Cassius looks to the rack of dresses, confused; they’re in the same spot as always. After a minute, though, he gasps. “Oh! Are you filling in for Luke today?” The blond hums an affirmative, and Cash stands, gesturing him to the opposite corner of the room. “This side has the extras,” he explains, lips pursing. “There are only a few, so I’m not sure if there’ll be anything in your size, but hopefully something’s close enough.”

Cloud nods and starts getting ready. The outfit that’s the best fit is a little too loose, the pants a little too long, but at least it’s not impossible to move around in. He folds his usual clothes on the bench, taking the earrings out of his pocket first to avoid breaking them. He glares at his reflection when he puts the hat on, but doesn’t say anything as he heads for the door.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Cassius asks, eyebrow raised and primer in hand.

“Huh? But…”

Cash snorts. “What, you think the rest of the guys don’t wear makeup onstage? Sweetie, you’d be a _ghost_ under those lights if it weren’t for me.”

“Oh, I didn’t…” He trails off awkwardly, and the other man rolls his eyes with a fond smile.

“You didn’t think about it, I know. Just come sit down, Cloud,” Cassius says, patting the bench. “Let me work my magic.” Cloud sighs and takes a seat, listening to Cash babble about everything and nothing until they’re done, then stands and starts for the door before being interrupted yet again. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

The blond glances around, confused. “What this time?”

Cash moves to the other vanity, picking up the earrings from on top of the clothing pile, then walks to Cloud. “Your good luck charm,” he says with a smile. He holds them up in question and waits for Cloud’s small nod to start carefully changing them out. He holds up the studs when he’s done. “I’ll leave these with your clothes.”

“Alright.” Cloud glances in the mirror across the room, trying not to think about how ridiculous he might look to anyone watching the show tonight. _It_ _’s enough that_ you _like it,_ he tries to convince himself, but that thought just brings a landslide of other complications with it. He bites his lip and, after a long moment, nods. “Thanks.”

“No problem. That’s what I’m here for,” he says vaguely. Cloud hesitates for a while longer, and Cassius laughs after a minute and nods to the door. “ _Now_ you’re ready. You can go; I won’t stop you this time, promise.”

“Right. I—” Cloud lifts his hand but pulls it back as soon as he notices, not even sure what he’d intended to do. He nods again and turns away. “Thanks,” he repeats as he opens the door. He’s gone before he can hear the other man’s response.

* * *

They meet approximately thirty seconds before they have to get into position onstage. Lori, apparently, is a very soft-spoken girl with a brunette bob and wide hazel eyes that seem to be trying to take in everything around her all at once. She hardly says a word to Cloud, only nods in acknowledgment when Pyra hurriedly introduces them. She tries for a smile, but it falls after a few seconds. Cloud immediately wonders what’s wrong but doesn’t get a chance to ask.

Lori flinches when she jumps from the platform, as if afraid that he won’t catch her. He does, but it’s probably a valid fear to have when dancing with a new partner with no practice. He wouldn’t think much of it if that were all, but she spends the entire dance making as little physical contact with Cloud as possible. Her eyes never leave him for more than a second or two at a time, though.

It’s by far the most confusing and uncomfortable dance he’s had at the Honeybee Inn, even though it should, by all rights, be the exact opposite. He thinks it’s a relief to both of them that after “Stand Up,” the rest of the performance has very few partnered moves.

* * *

Cloud hesitates backstage after the show, but Lori speed-walks past him before he can get a word out. He stares after her, utterly bewildered. He barely notices Andrea coming up beside him until he speaks.

“Something wrong, darling?”

“Just… confused.”

“About?” he questions, head tilted curiously.

“She seemed… scared.”

Andrea’s eyes widen in realization and he curses under his breath. “That’s…” He sighs. “That’s my fault. I made an enormous mistake. I should have thought more carefully and moved people around, given you a different partner.”

“So she’s scared of _me?_ ” Cloud asks. He’s almost disappointed; this is probably the only place in the world that he actively tries _not_ to be intimidating.

The other man sighs. “Not exactly.” He hesitates, eying Cloud for a long minute before crossing his arms and admitting, “You have to understand that not everyone who winds up here comes from a great situation. A few of my girls and boys are afraid of anyone and anything unfamiliar. Lori… is one of those people.”

“…Oh,” Cloud breathes as understanding dawns. He leans against a crate, half-sitting as he stares at Andrea. Even knowing it’s not a good idea, he feels compelled to ask, “Could I talk to her? With you there, I mean. She’s comfortable with you, right?”

“It took some time, but she is now,” Andrea answers, nodding. He considers it for a minute before saying, “Let me talk it over with her first. She knows I would never let any harm come to her, but she can sometimes have a rather… visceral response to new men entering her space.”

“Alright. How much time…?” He trails off, unsure of how to word his question without sounding pushy.

Andrea looks away, considering, and shrugs. “Meet me at my office in an hour and we can go from there. I can’t say whether it will happen tonight, if at all.”

“Okay. I’ll go get changed and… I don’t know. Explore, in the meantime. I haven’t really done that yet.”

“Alright. I’ll see you in a while, my dear.” Andrea takes a few steps away, then turns back to Cloud and tacks on like an afterthought, “Captivating performance tonight, by the way.”

Cloud stares at him for a long moment, frowning. “…Don’t lie to me,” he says eventually, marching past Andrea and down the hall.

He isn’t even sure why it bothers him, but it does. It _hurts_ and it makes him irrationally _angry_ at the same time, and he doesn’t even realize how much it shows until he gets to the second floor. Cassius is leaving the dressing room just as he enters, but he takes one look at Cloud and walks away without saying anything. It’s… unusual, to say the least. He pauses, forcing his jaw to unclench and his shoulders to drop from where they’re hunched around his ears. “Have a good night,” he calls down the hall.

Cloud doesn’t turn to see Cash’s expression, but he sounds slightly surprised when he says, “Thanks, you too.”

* * *

After changing back into his SOLDIER uniform, he stays sitting in the room for another ten minutes or so, not thinking, just breathing. A man comes and goes from the room, saying nothing but a mumbled, “Have a good one,” as he leaves.

Eventually Cloud stands and wanders out. He passes Justine on the stairs; she’s clinging to the arm of a man who’s probably a few years older than her and giggling at whatever he’s said as they make their way to the third floor. He frowns; it’s easy to forget that most of the people here have this side of their jobs, too. She catches his look and her eyes narrow for half a second before she turns back to the man with a too-wide smile. “Okay, honey, you head up to room 302,” she says, handing him a keycard. “I gotta grab something, but I’ll be up in just one minute, okay?”

“Okay,” he agrees, grinning and letting his hand linger in hers as he takes the card. As he starts up the stairs without her support, it becomes clear that he’s had a drink or two too many.

Justine waits until he reaches the top of the flight before pulling Cloud away by his shirt. “What was that about?” she asks angrily, tugging at the ends of her hair.

“Huh?”

“That look!”

“I… I don’t…” Cloud frowns, wondering whether it’s _him_ that’s gone crazy tonight, or everyone else. “I just forgot that…”

“That I have sex with people for a living, or do whatever other weird shit they want?” she asks bluntly.

“Um… Yeah?” He flinches, already knowing that it’s the wrong answer.

Justine huffs. “Look, this is my _job_. I _chose_ it. It has its ups and downs, but it’s fun a lot of the time and it pays well. And I wanna like you, Cloud, I really do. But you don’t get to appear out of nowhere and start judging us without having any idea what it’s like.”

“I wasn’t—”

“You were.” She searches his face for a long moment, then lets out a sigh, some of the fury fading from her face. “But you weren’t doing it on purpose, so I’ll let it slide. Like I said, I _want_ to like you. Just be careful if you decide to hang around after the show, okay? Some of the girls are a lot more self-conscious about this work and what people think about it than I am, and I don’t want you hurting them.”

“Why does everyone think I want to hurt anyone?” he can’t help but ask.

“I didn’t say you _want_ to. Just that you might.” Justine takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I need to get up to the room; that man _is_ paying for his time. So think about what I said, be more careful about how you act with the people here, and when you come back tomorrow or… whenever… I’ll pretend we never had this conversation. I’m a little quick to jump on people because some have been assholes in the past; I can admit to that. So just… don’t be an asshole, and I’ll let it go, okay?”

“Okay,” Cloud agrees, because what else can he possibly say?

“Good. Now go home, honey,” she says before heading up the stairs.

He stares after her for a minute before sighing and going the opposite direction, any urge to explore the building gone. The rest of the floor is probably just more dressing rooms and practice rooms anyways, aside from Andrea’s office, and he’s forbidden from the third and fourth floors. So Cloud heads back to the main room on the first floor to find Aerith waiting for him.

“There you are!” she says, sitting up from her slouch when she spots him.

“Sorry. I forgot to tell you that I’m staying late to talk to someone. You should head home.”

Aerith shakes her head. “I’ll wait,” she insists. “Who is it, though? Andrea? That girl you were dancing with?”

“Yeah. The girl, I mean. Maybe. Her name’s Lori.”

“Oh, right. Andi mentioned that earlier, huh? Is she alright?”

Cloud shrugs uncomfortably. “Even if I knew, I don’t think it’s my place to talk about it.”

She nods in understanding. “That’s fair. It was strange, though…” Aerith says, staring up at the empty stage. After a moment, she clarifies, “The feeling I got from her. I hope everything turns out okay.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“You seem distracted. Are _you_ alright?”

He shrugs again. “I’m fine. It’s just been… a really, really weird night.”

Aerith hums thoughtfully. “Okay, so you can’t talk about Lori… Anything else happen that you _do_ want to talk about?”

Cloud hesitates, considers telling her about Andrea, but… What is there to say? He was probably just feeling as jumpy as everyone else seems to be and took something personally when he shouldn’t have. He shakes his head, and Aerith stares at him for a minute before squeezing his hand.

“Okay. Let’s just… wait, then.”

He nods, and they sit in silence for a long time. Aerith rests her head on his shoulder, and Cloud lets her presence sooth his frazzled nerves until he’s feeling almost normal again. Eventually she asks, “What time were you supposed to go talk to her?”

He twists to glance at the clock on the wall behind them and curses. “Right now,” he says, gently nudging her off. “I’ll see you in a while, okay?”

“Okay,” she agrees with a smile. “If I fall asleep, just wake me up when you come back, ‘kay?”

“Sure,” Cloud says, even though the thought of her falling asleep here with nobody around to watch over her bothers him. He hurries back upstairs and knocks on Andrea’s door, entering when the man calls for him to. He stays near the door, arms crossed, and waits.

“Lori agreed to talk with you as long as I’m in the room, and as long as she can end it if it becomes too uncomfortable.” The blond nods, and Andrea watches him for a long moment before sighing. “I’m sorry about earlier.”

Cloud hesitates before taking the seat across from him. He stares at the surface of the desk until he can force out, “I don’t appreciate being patronized.”

“And that’s completely understandable, although I swear that wasn’t my intent. I only wanted to encourage you.”

“Then save it for when I _actually_ do well!” Cloud says, trying and failing to keep his anger out of his voice. His eyes finally rise to meet Andrea’s, challenging. “It’s not ‘encouraging’ if I can’t even believe that you’re being honest; it just pisses me off.”

Andrea stares at him for a few seconds before glancing away with another sigh. “…Okay,” he agrees reluctantly. “But you really didn’t do badly tonight. You and Lori both did as well as could be expected with a new partner you weren’t comfortable with.”

 _And you think I_ _’m comfortable with_ you _?_ the sarcastic voice in his head asks. Cloud holds it in. Maybe he hadn’t been at first, but he is now. Any nervousness when they dance together now has nothing to do with discomfort or a lack of trust. “...If you say so.”

“I do,” the other man says with an awkward chuckle. “So will you accept my apology?”

“…Yeah.” Andrea’s smile brightens and something twists in Cloud’s gut. He stands abruptly. “Are we going now?”

“Sure. She lives up on the fourth floor.”

Cloud nods and starts to the door, then stops mid-step. “Can I leave these here?” he asks, gesturing to his sword and pauldron.

“Of course. In fact, I insist that you do.”

He nods again and removes them, leaving his sword against the wall and the armor on the desk, then waves toward the door. “Lead the way.” Andrea holds the door open, then shuts and locks it behind them before heading to the stairs. As they climb, Cloud asks, “You said she _lives_ there?”

“Mmhmm.”

His brows furrow. “Do _all_ of your employees live here?”

Andrea chuckles. “Not all of them. Plenty of people dislike the idea of mixing their home and work lives, as you can probably imagine. Currently it’s Lori, Manda, Pyra, Jak, Cassius, and myself.” He pauses to unlock the door; unlike the other floors, the fourth requires a key to even enter the hallway.

“Not Sophia?” Cloud asks, slightly surprised. She seems like the type to take work home with her.

Andrea laughs like he’s said something hilarious. “Heavens no, I think she’d rather die.” He pauses and adds thoughtfully, “Although… She _does_ stay at my place enough that she might as well live here.”

He raises an eyebrow curiously, but Andrea doesn’t notice as he knocks on the second door on the right. Lori opens it after a few seconds and stands back to let them in. Cloud waits until she sits down, then takes the chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. Andrea leans against the wall behind him, obviously trying to be unobtrusive, but the room’s too small for it to really work. There’s an awkward silence for a few seconds until Lori says, “So… Andi said you wanted to talk?”

Cloud nods. “I just wanted to say sorry for tonight.”

She shakes her head. “I should be the one apologizing. I… should’ve explained. Or better yet, I should’ve just said something to Andi when he came to let me know the plan,” she adds with a self-deprecating laugh.

Andrea makes a noise of disagreement, but before _he_ can try to apologize too, Cloud cuts in, “I don’t blame you for being uncomfortable with speaking up.”

Lori gives a half-smile. “Thanks. For… understanding, I guess. I know I was acting pretty weird, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you, I promise. Maybe we could talk more, if you want? Like this, I mean. This is okay, I just need my… space,” she finishes, arms moving in a circle around her in demonstration.

“If you’re really okay with that, then sure.” She nods. Cloud internally cringes even as the words spill from his mouth, but he can’t help but ask the question that’s been on his mind since running into Justine and being reminded that the Honeybee Inn doubles as a brothel. “I… You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, this is probably too personal, but… Doesn’t it make a job like this hard if you don’t feel safe with new people?”

To Cloud’s surprise, Lori laughs brightly. “It probably would, yeah, but Andi’s very accommodating,” she says with an amused twinkle in her eye. He makes a questioning noise, so she explains, “I only see female clients. I’m… I’m okay, with women.”

“Oh.”

“Surprised? Didn’t think we catered to people who aren't straight here?” she asks, still grinning.

He shakes his head. “No, I knew that, I just… didn’t really think about it.”

“Well, now you know!” Cloud shifts in his seat, and her fingers twitch, curling and uncurling. Her smile falters but is back in the blink of an eye. Lori slides further back in her chair, trying to appear more relaxed, and lifts her hands in a shrug. “Feel free to ask all the personal questions you want, by the way. Just… not about what caused my trauma. I’m not at a place where I can talk about it easily yet. Not sure if I ever will be, to be honest,” she says with a short grimace. “But absolutely anything else, I’m an open book!”

“You sure?”

“Yep! And if I change my mind, then I’ll just say no. You can’t offend me, promise,” she says, finger drawing an X over her heart. “Why? What scandalous question’s eating at your mind?”

Cloud rolls his eyes and leans around the back of his chair to peer at Andrea. “Do you just _train_ everybody here to be like this? I swear, all any of you do is mock me.”

They both laugh at that, and Andrea shrugs. “We train them to display interest in and provide physical and emotional support to clients and potential investors, of which you are neither. Anything else is on them. Maybe you’re just fun to tease.”

“So I keep being told,” he mutters.

Lori giggles. “ _So?_ What was your question?” she repeats.

Cloud hesitates but eventually asks, “Did you _want_ to work here?” He’s careful to keep his tone neutral, all too aware now of how anything could be misconstrued as judgment.

Lori glances uncertainly at Andrea, but he just shoots her a tiny smile and nod. She smiles back, straightening up a little, and turns her attention back to Cloud. “No,” she answers honestly. “It was just the only way to keep food on the table. But…” She trails off for a moment, smile softening. “I wouldn’t take it back now. Everyone here might as well be my family.”

“You’re all that close, huh?”

Lori scoffs. “Hell, they’re _better_ to me than my ‘real’ family. And although I could do without some of the ruder clients, anyone who causes any _real_ trouble gets a lifetime ban, no questions asked. And the dancing and performances… Well.” Quietly, as if it’s a treasured secret, “I _live_ for the stage.”

What is there to say to that? “That’s… I’m glad.”

Her eyes widen and she asks eagerly, “You know that feeling too, right? I see it in your eyes whenever you’re dancing. That _thrill_ , all the hard work paying off, the spotlight, the freedom…!”

“I, um…” Cloud can feel Andrea’s eyes drilling into the back of his skull, but he can’t bring himself to lie when she’s looking at him like that. He turns his gaze to the table and admits quietly, “Yeah… Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“I knew it,” Lori says, and when he forces his eyes back up, her smile is soft and satisfied. She glances to Andrea for just a moment and then back again. “I think the three of us are the only ones who really feel that way… Some of the others enjoy it well enough, but it’s still… _work_ to them, y’know?”

Cloud nods, but his heart’s in his throat and he can’t seem to think of anything else to say. He jumps when Andrea’s hand lands on his shoulder. “Cloud…” he says quietly. “It’s nearly midnight. You should be getting home soon, and we should let Lori get some sleep.”

“I’m fine,” Lori insists. “But if you need to get going, that’s okay. Let me know if you wanna chat again sometime. I mean… If you’re okay with chaperoning again, that is,” she says with a sheepish look at Andrea.

“Of course, dear. And it’s not chaperoning; it’s being the fly on the wall, and I have to admit that it was fun,” Andrea says with a grin.

She laughs. “Thanks, Andi. Have a good night, both of you.”

They echo the sentiment and leave the apartment. They’re silent until they reach the second floor. “Thanks for that,” Cloud says as they walk back to the office.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Andrea says unconvincingly. “I _am_ curious about whether you were telling the truth back there, though. It certainly seemed like it, but you also seemed rather weak against Lori’s puppy dog eyes,” he teases.

“…Yeah, I was.”

“‘You were’… telling the truth? Or weak to her puppy dog eyes?”

“Telling the truth,” Cloud says, rolling his eyes.

Andrea unlocks the office and follows Cloud in before squeezing his shoulder gently. “I’m glad,” he says more seriously.

Cloud hesitates. He’s felt _off_ all night, and he knows what he wants but can’t quite bring himself to articulate it.

Andrea notices immediately of course, head tilting with a worried expression. “Is something wrong, honey?” The blond shakes his head; there isn’t necessarily anything _wrong_ , not anymore at least, but… “What is it?” Cloud swallows and grabs a fistful of Andrea’s shirt, tugging just slightly. The other man glances down at his hand in obvious confusion, but after a few seconds, a soft, understanding smile crosses his face. “You only ever have to ask, darling.”

He pulls Cloud into a hug, hesitant at first and tighter when he leans into it. Cloud lets out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding and slowly lifts his arms to return the embrace. “I’m not great at that,” he admits with a quiet huff of laughter.

“This counts as asking,” Andrea says, one hand coming up to the back of his head to gently urge him forward.

Cloud obeys the silent request and lets his head drop to Andrea’s shoulder. His eyes droop shut and he lets himself just breathe for a minute. Andrea’s scent isn’t anything he can place, but it’s somehow already familiar and comforting. He flushes when he realizes where his mind’s drifted, glad that the other man probably can’t see the red on his face with how they're standing. “Thank you,” he says quietly. The voice in the back of his head is saying that this has gone on too long, but Andrea hasn’t made any move to push him away, so he does his best to ignore it.

“You don’t have to thank me for a _hug_ , Cloud,” he replies, voice wavering on a kind of sad amusement. “I’m _more_ than happy to give them whenever you want.” Cloud makes a meaningless sound of acknowledgment, and Andrea eventually asks hesitantly, “You know it isn’t weak to want comfort or closeness, right? It’s _human_.”

Cloud’s fingers clench in Andrea’s shirt and, after a moment, he nods against him. He’s still trying to get used to the idea.

“Good,” Andrea whispers into his hair. A tiny shiver runs down Cloud’s spine. “I mean it; all you ever need to do is ask… in _whatever_ way is easiest for you.”

The blond nods again. They stay there for a few minutes, until he slowly opens his eyes, takes one last deep breath, and pulls away. He isn’t sure what to say; the first thing that comes to mind is another thanks or an apology, so he decides to just keep his mouth shut. They stare at each other for a long moment, and then he turns away to put on his sword and pauldron. “I should get going. I—shit, I still need to get Aerith home.”

“Let me walk you to the door?” Andrea asks, only half-joking.

Cloud snorts. “Sure.”

They head back downstairs, pausing in the lobby and just watching each other again. Cloud hesitates for a few seconds before glancing to the reception desk; it’s only slightly surprising to see Sophia still sitting there. “Can I borrow a pen and paper?” She nods and hands some over, and he rips off a corner of the paper and scribbles something on it. “Here,” he says, holding it out to Andrea.

“Your number?” Andrea asks, wide eyes betraying his shock.

“In case something like this happens again,” Cloud explains, crossing his arms over his chest. “If you need someone to fill in or… some kind of emergency comes up. Call me.”

“Then I suppose it’s only fair I give you mine,” the other man says. He writes it down and hands the rest of the paper to Cloud, winking as he tacks on, “In case it’s not clear, you’re welcome to call me for… _any_ reason.”

Sophia giggles, and Cloud turns to blink at her, too surprised to be embarrassed. She blushes and bites her lips in a failed attempt to school her expression, staring resolutely at her notepad and jotting down gibberish.

“Something you’d like to say, dear?” Andrea asks, amused.

She glances up at him, one eyebrow raised. “Nothing, sir,” she insists, though her half-hidden grin says otherwise.

Andrea hums skeptically and mutters under his breath, “I’m sure you’ll have plenty to say _later_ …”

Cloud raises an eyebrow curiously, but when neither of them provide any explanation, he shrugs. “I’ll see you…” He pauses, hesitant to make a commitment he might not be able to keep, but realizes that there’s some way around almost anything that might pop up. “Tomorrow.”

“See you then,” Andrea says with a smile. “Goodnight, darling.”

“Night.” He and Sophia nod their goodbyes, and then he heads back to the stage. Aerith is asleep, head and arms sprawled across the table. Cloud huffs out a laugh and squats down next to her, carefully maneuvering one arm behind her back and the other under her knees, but she stirs and gives him a bleary look.

“Cloud?” Aerith asks with a confused frown. She glances down at the hand he still has behind her legs and waves him away with a laugh. Then she slowly stretches and, after pushing him out of the way, stands up. “Were you gonna try to carry me all the way home?” she asks, grinning. He shrugs. “That’s sweet. And also a little scary. What if you dropped me? Or what if you _didn_ _’t_ , and I woke up at home with no idea how I got there?”

Cloud shrugs again. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be, it was a nice thought. You ready to go now?” He nods, and they start the long walk out of the Honeybee Inn and back to Sector 5, waving to Andrea and Sophia as they pass them. “Good. I can’t wait to crawl into bed. I hope everything went well, though.”

Cloud stops to consider it. “Yeah. Better than I expected.”

“That’s good,” she says with a sleepy smile, leaning more heavily on his shoulder than usual. “Did you sort out whatever happened with Andi earlier?”

“Huh?”

Aerith blinks up at him. She almost looks guilty. “Uh. That’s what you were upset about, right? Or did I totally misread that?”

Cloud glances away. “…Yeah, we sorted it out.”

She peers more closely at him, grin returning full force. “You’re _blushing!_ What aren’t you telling me?” He hesitates, and Aerith nudges him. “Come on, you know I’ll find out sooner or later!” Cloud sighs and pulls the paper out of his pocket and hands it over. She unfolds it and makes an excited noise so high-pitched that he flinches away from it. “Well, congratulations, stud!”

“Please don’t.”

Aerith just laughs and shoves the paper back in his pocket. “I’ll be honest, I was starting to worry that you two were just gonna stay stuck in one spot forever. I’m happy for you.”

“ _What_ are you talking about?” he asks wearily.

She levels him with an unimpressed look. “Don’t you _dare_ try to tell me that you aren’t into Andrea, or we’ll turn around and march right back there and you can try saying that to his face.”

Cloud flushes, mouth working around an argument for a few seconds before he gives up and glares. “…Not that,” he says eventually. “I meant… What you said about staying stuck in one spot forever. You know we only met like a month ago, right?”

Aerith nods. “A long, _agonizing_ month.”

“I don’t think—”

“I meant for _me_ ,” she cuts him off. “Watching you two—quite literally—dance around each other is _torture_.”

Cloud huffs. “Oh look,” he says gratefully, “We’re in Sector 5! You can make it the rest of the way from here, right?”

He tries weakly to shake her off of his arm, but Aerith stays put and pulls him forward. “Uh-uh, you’re not getting away that easy, mister! Besides, you have to say hi to mom!”

“Won’t she be asleep by now?”

“Probably not. She waits up for me most of the time.”

“…Alright,” he agrees, mostly out of guilt.

Amazingly, despite her claim that he’s not getting out of the conversation, Aerith lets the subject drop… until they get to her house. “Mama!” she says excitedly as she bursts in the door. She sits down next to her mother and aims an evil grin at Cloud as she asks, “Guess what?”

“What?”

“Aerith—” he says warningly, and she freezes, no doubt remembering the last time he got mad at her for spilling his secrets.

“Uh… Nothing. Sorry,” Aerith says with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her head.

Cloud watches her for a few seconds as she stares down at the table with a fake smile. “…Oh, whatever,” he sighs.

Aerith blinks up at him in surprise, hesitating for another minute as she tries to work out whether he actually cares. Eventually she smiles and turns back to her mom, much calmer than before but just as teasing. “Cloud got a boy’s number, Mama!” she says, sing-song and laughing.

Cloud glances at Elmyra to see her reaction. She glances between him and Aerith a few times and eventually gives him a confused smile. “Congratulations? I think?” He shrugs, and she chuckles quietly. After a few seconds, she pushes herself up out of her chair and gives him a quick hug. “Thank you for getting Aerith home safe again. It’s late, though; you should go home and get some sleep.”

He nods and turns back to the door. “Goodnight, Aerith. Goodnight, Elmyra.”

“Goodnight, Cloud… And good luck with… your boy,” Elmyra says, laughter in her voice even though she still seems a bit confused.

Cloud scrubs a hand over his face, exasperated, as he pauses outside the door. He shakes his head and turns away, hiding the slightest hint of a smile. “…Thanks.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sophia might act like a well put-together lady, but she’s only human and being Andrea Rhodea’s most trusted confidant has its perks.
> 
> Or: Andi’s friends give him just as much shit as Cloud’s do, he’s just a bigger drama king about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy the double upload with this random, short side chapter! What can I say? I wanted to get out of Cloud's head for a bit and have some fun with characters who are a little more... open, and these two provided the perfect opportunity.
> 
> ETA: I'm really sorry guys, but the next chapter is gonna be slow to come. I've been pretty consistently writing for 2-5 hours a day, and my wrist is definitely feeling the strain now. I've had carpal tunnel multiple times before and it's a horrible experience that I'd rather not repeat, especially since my job also involves some typing, so I'll be forcing myself to take a complete break from writing until it feels better.

“Alright, let’s hear it,” Andrea says with a resigned sigh as they step into his apartment.

Sophia grins as she toes her heels off and loosens her bun to let it fall into a messy ponytail. “That was quite a scene earlier, you two acting like a couple of lovestruck teenagers.”

“The boy is _mocking_ me, Sophia!” Andrea says, throwing his arms in the air dramatically.

She laughs. “I don’t think he’s doing it on purpose, Andi.”

“I _know_ he’s not! And that might just be the worst part of it all! He is just _genuinely_ that… oblivious, and awkward, and…” He trails off into incoherent groans and hand gestures, and Sophia pats his arm pityingly.

“Adorable?” she suggests.

“Yes!” Andrea falls onto a chair and rolls his head to look at her. “Could I possibly make it any more obvious, Soph?”

“I… don’t really think so.”

“Then what in Gaia’s name do I have to do to make this work? What am I doing wrong?”

“Have you ever stopped to think that maybe he’s just not into you? Or that he might be straight?” Sophia asks, draping herself across the couch and twisting to look at him.

“Of course I have! I’m just getting some very mixed signals here,” Andrea answers. When his pout starts to turn into a more serious frown, Sophia quickly backs off from that line of questioning. She wasn’t serious in the first place; Cloud is _clearly_ interested, just a bit… shy, maybe.

“Well then, maybe you just aren’t as smooth as you think you are,” she teases instead.

He glares; as expected, it has no effect. “And what would you suggest, then? I have been laying on _every ounce of charm in my body_ , Soph.”

“Maybe just talk to him? Getting to know people is usually a pretty good first step to a relationship,” she says sardonically.

“You think I haven’t _tried_?” Andrea asks, exasperated. “With the exception of _today_ , Cloud has made his escape as quickly as possible after every show. I can never seem to catch him, and the middle of a performance with music blaring isn’t exactly the most intimate place for a conversation.”

“Hmm, well maybe—” Before she can voice her thought, there’s a loud chime. Andrea pulls his PHS out of his pocket and glances at the message. He buries his face in his hands with a groan that quickly dissolves into laughter. Sophia smiles. “What’s it say?”

“‘Hi.’”

She snorts, and he aims another half-hearted glare at her, but it only makes her laugh more. Every time Sophia tries to calm down, she takes one glances at her friend’s face and starts giggling again, until she’s curled up in a ball with one hand covering her mouth and the other clutching her stomach. “Sorry,” she gasps out, but she really doesn’t mean it and Andrea knows it. “What were we saying earlier, about being awkward and adorable?”

“He’s going to be the death of me, Soph, I swear,” Andrea says, staring at the screen.

She takes a few deep breaths, very carefully _not_ looking at his childish pout, and manages to get herself back under control. “Well, look at it this way: this could be your chance to finally talk to him. You don’t have to try and catch him before he leaves, and he messaged first, which might as well be permission to text him about whatever.”

Andrea stares at her, a smile slowly forming, and eventually says, “You’re right, of course. What would I do without you, my dear?”

“Probably be lost in one-sided romance hell for the rest of your life,” Sophia jokes. Andrea goes back to staring at his phone, very slowly typing out a response and probably deleting and retyping like the teen in puppy love that he is, and she groans and holds out a hand. “If you’re going to be stuck in your own world for a while, then at least pass the remote before you disappear.” He hands it over without looking, making her roll her eyes. “See you later then, I guess. Let me know if you manage to get through that thick skull of his at all.”

* * *

As it turns out, Cloud is the most unresponsive texter the world has ever seen. They make it through about 15 minutes of meaningless conversation before he seems to forget that his phone even exists, and they’re right back at square one. Sophia has no idea why Andi’s surprised by this fact.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, lots to say here. First of all, as you might be able to tell from how long this update took, I'm kind of losing my motivation on this fic. But I'm trying to get it back and keep going, because it's really, really important to me. (Like, 'literally changing my life' important, which I won't waste your time talking about here, but if you're curious I made a post about it [here.](https://beccabear93.tumblr.com/post/622236623550152704))
> 
> Second, things that I enjoy way too much, as some people may have already noticed: Cloud with long sleeves that partially cover his hands (seriously, I have no idea why, but that was one of my favorite details of the blue and black dress in canon), and Cloud being an absolute fucking tease with Andrea XD
> 
> Third, references: Cloud's look of the day stolen from [this beautiful person](https://lookbook.nu/look/9253422-My-Mx-5), and the necklace from [here](https://beemission.com/products/bee-inspired), because it came up in a search completely unrelated to bees and I couldn't resist lol. Aerith's hairpiece is [this one](https://www.enchantedforestshop.com/products/royal-blue-rhinestone-hair-clip?variant=31714221897). And the reference for the dance (AKA I had something in my head but couldn't describe it to save my life, so instead I watched this like 30 times and went off of it) was Step Up--yes, the very first one lmao--mostly the club scene, but also a small bit of the rooftop scene.
> 
> Phew, okay, I think that's everything. Sorry guys, on to the chapter!

“We’re going shopping before we head to Wall Market tonight,” Aerith announces when she shows up at Cloud’s apartment unannounced the next afternoon.

“…Huh?” Cloud asks, blinking at her in confusion. After a few seconds, he manages to get out a slightly more coherent, “What are we shopping for?”

“Oh, just a few things I need for tomorrow night,” she answers with a secretive smile. “I figured you could do with getting out for something other than work, too.”

Cloud sighs. “Alright…” he agrees eventually, grabbing his sword before joining her outside. “Where are we headed?”

“Sector 8. They’ve got a few shops I’ve heard about that I wanna check.” He nods, and Aerith takes his arm as usual. She doesn’t pull him along, though, content to meander and linger in the sun as she watches all the people around them. Mostly to herself, she says, “I should spend more time in Sector 7. It’s so… lively.”

“Not that different from 5,” Cloud argues, but Aerith shakes her head.

“They’ve got their similarities, sure, but the people are so different,” she says. “Don’t get me wrong, I love where I live, but this is nice too. Just… in a different way.”

They watch as Betty darts past them, chasing after one of her cats. The blond shrugs. “I guess so.”

“Besides, _you_ _’re_ here,” she says with a playful smile. “And so is Av—everyone else.”

Cloud nods but says nothing; it’s strange sometimes, when everyone else is together but Aerith’s missing. He can tell that Tifa feels it too, though she rarely says anything. There’s no excuse to invite her along to some things, though; Aerith isn’t a part of Avalanche. Even Cloud still technically isn’t, though he’s been more or less accepted by most of them by now.

“Almost there,” Aerith says, breaking Cloud out of his thoughts. He glances around as they cross into the Sector 8 slums. The change is gradual, but the road they’ve been following eventually cuts off into more even rows of streets, filled with little stores that boast a much wider variety of items than the shops of Sector 7. He glances curiously through the doors as they pass some, but doesn’t linger, instead letting Aerith continue to lead the way. She clearly has a destination in mind, only glancing at the signs propped up in front of the buildings they pass. She stops abruptly near the end of the road and grins. “Here it is!”

They step inside, and Cloud resists the urge to groan when his eyes adjust to the change in light; the whole place is filled with cosmetics and hair products. Aerith catches the look on his face and laughs. “Don’t worry, I’m not dragging you into anything. This is for me.” She glances around before walking quickly to a display of hair accessories in the back. She pauses, holding a few up to check them out in the small mirror that’s set up nearby before turning to him. “Which one do you think looks better?” she asks, holding up a barrette with a pink rose and one with a sunflower.

Cloud tamps down an amused smile and shrugs. “They both look fine.”

Aerith sighs loudly and gives him an unimpressed look. “Give me your honest opinion, Cloud.”

He shrugs again, glancing away under the guise of checking out the other items on the shelves. “I was just wondering why it had to be a flower.” He catches her head tilt out of the corner of his eye and can perfectly picture her confused expression without looking.

“…I’m not following a theme because I’m a florist,” Aerith says with a chuckle when she finally realizes what he’s getting at. “I chose them because I _like flowers_ ,” she adds in a tone that clearly demonstrates how dumb she thinks he’s being. “Which, coincidentally, is also _why I_ _’m a florist_. Well, one of the reasons, anyways.”

Cloud huffs out a laugh and turns back, relieved to see that she doesn’t actually look angry. “I guess the sunflower, then,” he finally answers, and she nods with a satisfied smile. Aerith puts the rose back and walks past him to another section of products. Cloud turns to follow her but freezes when something catches his eye. “Or you could go for something like this,” he says, holding out a silver clip with blue gem petals that would take the place of her bow.

Aerith glances down at it, her smile turning bittersweet. After a few seconds, though, it’s back full-force, and she takes the clip with a nod. “I’ll get both of them,” she decides. “Thanks, Cloud. It’s really pretty.” He nods, and she continues on. Aerith grabs two bottles of nail polish and shoves them into his hands before moving down the row and filling her own with various makeup products.

Cloud glances down at the bottles and frowns at one. “Why clear?” he mutters.

Aerith laughs. “Doesn’t Cash use that?”

“Yeah, and it doesn’t make any sense then, either.” He’s not sure whether he’s more bothered by his own lack of understanding, or by the fact that it feels like he’s being laughed at, but either way, it’s annoying.

Aerith glances at him and blinks. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize you _actually_ wanted to know. It sounded like you were just judging my taste again,” she says, sticking out her tongue. Then she smiles and goes back to browsing. “It’s just a top coat, to stop the actual polish from chipping. I don’t paint my nails much, so if I had any before, it’s lost for good. I got the urge to do it though, so I figured I should get some more.”

“…Thanks for explaining.” She nods, and Cloud watches her curiously for a few seconds before asking, “So what exactly are you doing all this for? You said something’s happening tomorrow night?”

Aerith grins and presses a finger to her lips. “Let’s just say I’m having dinner with a special guest.”

His brows furrow as he tries to figure out who she could be talking about, but for all he knows, it might be someone he’s never even heard of before. “…A date?” he guesses.

She gives a short laugh. “I wish, but no, not really,” she answers. Before he can question anymore, Aerith quickly walks past him and heads for the front of the shop, calling over her shoulder, “I’m done; we can go now.” She carefully sets her selections on the counter. Cloud notices a container full of tubes of chapstick as he puts down the nail polish and stares at it for a few seconds, remembering Cash’s advice. Aerith notices his look just before paying and tosses one of the tubes onto the counter with an apologetic smile at the shop’s owner. “That too, please.” Cloud frowns at her but she ignores him.

“Sure,” the woman says, blank smile remaining firmly in place. She rings it up, and Aerith nudges Cloud out of the way when he reaches for his wallet.

Cloud opens his mouth the moment they walk out the door, but Aerith cuts him off. “It’s just chapstick, Cloud. It cost like 5 gil on my _1,000_ gil purchase. Don’t worry about it,” she says, handing it over. He huffs but shoves it into his pocket without complaint.

He still drops the money into her bag when she’s not looking, though.

Aerith hurries down the street, glancing around quickly before spotting her next stop. “Sorry, I didn’t realize how long that took. I need to grab a few ingredients here, but I don’t want us to be late to the Honeybee. Stay out here and I’ll hurry, okay?”

Cloud nods, glancing at the time on his PHS in surprise. He hadn’t realized how long they’d spent in the shop, either. Luckily, Aerith is true to her word and reappears after just a few minutes. “Okay, that’s everything!” she says, holding up her bags excitedly. Cloud plucks one out of her hand, and she rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. “You should head over while I drop this stuff off at my house. That way you’ll have enough time to get ready, and I… can _probably_ make it back before the show starts if I hurry.”

“Alright.”

“I’m pretty sure I already know the answer, but is there a plan for tonight?”

“No, and if there was, I wouldn’t tell you,” he teases.

Aerith pouts. “Aww, why not? Friends are supposed to tell each other everything!”

“Mmhmm…” Cloud hums skeptically. “So who’s your date for tomorrow, then?”

“…Point taken.”

“Thought so. Besides, you have more fun when it’s a surprise.”

“That’s true,” she says, smiling. “You know, you try to act all tough, but I think you’re secretly a big ol’ softie underneath it all.”

“Whatever.”

Aerith giggles. “You’re kind of proving my point.” Cloud stays silent, so she shrugs after a minute. “Alright, fine, I’ll let it go just this once.”

“Good, because we need to get moving.”

“Hey, I’m going as fast as I can! Let’s see _you_ try to walk any faster in these heels!” He snorts, and to his surprise, Aerith blushes suddenly. “Er… That is—Sorry.”

“I think they’d be a bit small on me,” Cloud deadpans.

She giggles, equal parts amusement and relief, and agrees, “Probably. Maybe I should’ve waited to change into them until we got back… Too late now, though. And our path splits right up there, so I won’t slow you down anymore.” She uses her whole hand to gesture at the fork in the road, bag crinkling loudly as it swings.

“Alright. See you at the show?” he asks, and her smile softens.

“You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

——

When Cloud makes it to the Honeybee Inn and up to the dressing room, Cassius immediately shoves a bundle of black fabric into his arms. “No complaining; you didn’t get here early enough to choose and I still need to get your makeup done before _I_ have to get onstage, so just hurry up and change!”

Cloud blinks, then nods, backing away from him to get changed as quickly as possible. The dress isn’t what he’s expecting; it’s surprisingly simple and casual, and feels more like a shirt than anything else, albeit one that’s so long it covers most of his thighs. He doesn’t have much of a chance to decide how he feels about it before Cassius is shoving shoes at him, though. Cash works around him to get his earrings and a necklace on as Cloud struggles into the boots. They’re awkward to get on, and even more awkward to walk in when he stands to move to the other vanity; they rise above his knees, only a sliver of skin between them and the dress, and restriction of movement is a bit unsettling. But when he catches a glimpse in the mirror as he goes to sit down, he can’t deny the effect is… nice.

“Cute,” Cassius says simply, smiling as the blond pushes the sleeves up slightly to get them out of his way.

Cloud says nothing, turning his attention to the necklace while the other man starts on his makeup. He leans in closer to mirror, peering at it before frowning at Cash, who pretends not to notice but is smirking to himself all the same. “Really?” Cloud asks, holding up the bumblebee pendant at the end of the silver chain.

Cassius just shrugs. “I _said_ no complaining,” he reminds him with a chuckle. “Close your eyes.” Cloud does so, and a few seconds later, he steps back. “Alright, done. Nothing fancy today, but frankly you don’t need much to make it work anyways. Don’t have time to send you down to the girls tonight, or to do your hair myself, so you’ll have to either leave it as-is or wear a wig.”

He gestures at the mannequin head Cloud’s been doing his best to ignore, and the blond stares at the long wig for a minute before deciding reluctantly, “…Wig.”

Cash nods and sets about getting it ready, and a few minutes later, he’s eying the end result critically. “One sec,” he says, holding up a hand to keep Cloud in place as he digs through a drawer. He comes back up with a hair band and ties the wig into a ponytail, letting a few bits fall free to frame Cloud’s face. “Perfect. Now let’s get going,” he says. Once again Cloud gets no chance to respond before he’s leading him out of the room by the elbow, down the stairs and backstage. “See you out there,” Cassius says, giving him a playful salute before he takes his place.

Andrea is finishing up his own preparations and glances up at the sound of Cash’s voice. He freezes when he spots Cloud, eyes raking over him, pausing at the dark red lipstick, the necklace, the strip of bare skin between the dress and boots, even the sleeves that have slipped back down to cover most of his hands. Cloud restrains a shiver and says a silent thanks to Cash, who he’s somehow sure knew _exactly_ what he was doing. Andrea snaps out of his daze and takes a deep breath before walking over, hands hovering near the blond’s elbows before dropping back to his sides. “You look… _stunning_ , sweetheart,” he says, his smile surprisingly soft.

Cloud’s breath stutters, the pet name catching him off guard. It’s not one he’s used before, but Andrea doesn’t even seem to realize he said it, so Cloud does his best to convince himself that it’s just another of the meaningless words that seem to spill from his lips so often. “Just Cash’s work,” he says with a quiet chuckle, biting his lip for a moment before cringing and releasing it.

“Never ‘ _just_ ,’ Cloud,” the other man scolds lightly. “You look every bit as gorgeous without all this, I hope you know that.”

His cheeks warm, and Cloud hopes that the makeup is enough to hide it. Not that it makes any difference; there’s no way that Andrea _hasn_ _’t_ noticed by now how much his compliments fluster him. “You should go get into place,” Cloud says, partially to distract him and partially because the performance is supposed to start any moment now. Andrea glances at the clock and takes another deep breath, letting it out on a long, quiet sigh. “I’ll see you after the opening.”

He smiles at that and nods. “See you in a few, then, my dear.”

Cloud watches until Andrea disappears around the corner, then leans against the wall to listen and wait for his cue. When the music shifts a few minutes later and the lights dim, he makes his way out. The short walk reminds him that he can hardly bend his knees; the realization that he won’t be able to do much of anything is enough to set his heart racing, and not in the pleasant adrenaline rush way it usually does when he steps onstage. Andrea catches his expression as Cloud joins him, and he shoots him a concerned look. “I can’t move,” he mutters, gesturing to the boots in explanation as the music kicks up and covers his voice.

“Not the first time we’ve worked with restrictions,” Andrea says gently. “If we could do it then, we can do it now.”

“I guess so,” Cloud agrees, though the reminder of their waltz (or rather, their conversation afterward) isn’t exactly the best encouragement.

Andrea’s hands drop to his hips as they start rocking to the quick beat, and Cloud’s own hover awkwardly for a moment before landing on Andrea’s shoulders. He lets himself fall into the rhythm before slowly leading them backwards, twisting into the middle of the other dancers and out of the spotlight. The other man gives him a curious look but doesn’t resist it, sinking into the crowd. It’s a small relief, even if Cloud knows that dozens of eyes are still glued to them.

Cloud backs away slightly, smirking when Andrea reaches for him and he slides just out of reach. The blond circles him, careful to keep his center of balance as he spins. Andrea’s barely moving, looking so out of his element it makes Cloud laugh. It’s a rare thing; he usually seems so at home, completely at ease on the dance floor. He falls back into it quickly when Cloud starts following the lead of those around them, though. They side-step one way and then the other, arms moving in time to the music, and Cloud twists away from Andrea again when they pass each other and turns his back on him.

Everyone jumps, pumping their fists, but Cloud lands wrong on the third bounce, stumbling backwards just a few inches before he rights himself. It’s enough to put him back within Andrea’s reach, though, and the other man latches onto his hips before he can spin away again. Cloud laughs again and lets himself be caught, leaning back into Andrea’s hold. He glances up over his shoulder to catch his expression, gratified when he realizes that Andrea’s full attention is on him. He turns in his grasp, one hand coming back to Andrea’s neck before the other man suddenly wraps an arm around him, lifting him as they spin. Cloud bites his lip to hold in a shocked curse and turns his focus to holding the wig on with one hand (the stupid thing is uncomfortable and itchy and now it’s slipping too and _god_ he is never wearing one again, _ever_ ) and landing steadily. Surprisingly, they pull it off almost perfectly. Andrea pauses for a moment to make sure Cloud’s found his balance again before his arm drops lower, circling his waist and pulling him in close as the music comes to an end.

They stay like that for a minute, both gasping for air, until Cloud feels a tap on his shoulder. He glances around to see Cassius giving him an apologetic smile as he gestures them to the front of the stage. Andrea’s hand slides slowly across his lower back on its way to interlace with his own, and he doesn’t let go as they take their bow and make their way backstage. They stand in silence for a few minutes, watching the others come and go around them. “I think that went pretty well,” Andrea says eventually, squeezing his hand gently before releasing it. “What did you think?”

Cloud shrugs. He has no idea how they did (although it was definitely better than expected, since he managed to move at all), but, “It was fun.”

Andrea smiles softly. “Good, I’m glad. You’re even more lovely when I get a peek of you genuinely enjoying yourself, with those beautiful bright eyes and that little smile.”

Clouds swallows harshly and looks away as he feels the heat rise in his face. He slowly starts walking backward, hands behind his back, and shoots Andrea a teasing smirk that only feels half-forced. “Better be careful, or I might start thinking you’re serious,” he says before he turns away and picks up the pace just a bit—not enough to look like he's running away, but it feels like that's exactly what he's doing.

“Wait, Cloud!” Andrea calls, hurrying after him before he makes it to the end of the hall. The blond stops, heart in his throat, but doesn’t turn back until the other man catches up to him.

There’s a minute of silence, so he eventually prompts quietly, “…What?”

Andrea stares at him, mouth opening and then snapping shut again. After a few seconds, he sighs and shakes his head. “I actually needed to talk to you about something important.”

“…Well?”

“I hope this doesn’t offend you…” he starts slowly, and Cloud’s hackles rise, instantly on edge. “But I’ve put this off for far too long already, and I think it would be better to ask now than to risk messing up later down the line and hurting you.”

Cloud’s brows furrow, curiosity edging in over the wariness. “What?”

“I was just wondering what you’d like to be called.”

“Huh?” He blinks, a tiny huff of confused laughter escaping. “What do you mean, my—”

“I meant pronouns, honey,” Andrea explains gently. “Should I be referring to you differently when you’re all dolled up like this?”

Cloud flushes slightly at the wording, but he shakes his head after a few seconds. “No, it’s…” He pauses, feeling ridiculous for what he’s about to say, and even more ridiculous for having to stop to think about it at all, but he supposes that an honest, thoughtful question deserves an honest, thoughtful answer. “‘He’ is fine.”

Andrea nods, smiling. “And you’ll let me know if that ever changes?” he prods carefully.

“Yeah.” He doesn’t think it will. But then again, a lot of things about himself have changed lately that he never would’ve expected to.

“Good.” Andrea hesitates for a moment before saying, “You know, Cloud… You don’t _have_ to leave right after the show every night. Of course, I won’t stop you if you want to, but… you’re welcome to stick around and chat, with me or anyone else who’s free. We could have a drink upstairs, if you’d like.”

Cloud freezes, staring at him. After a minute, he shakes his head and says reluctantly, “Aerith’s waiting for me.”

“Of course,” the other man says, though his smile looks just a little more forced.

“But…” Cloud bites his lip for a moment before continuing, “She has plans, so she probably won’t be here tomorrow night…”

“Well then… I’d be honored if you joined me then,” Andrea replies, grin brightening.

“Sure. I’ll… see you tomorrow, then,” the blond agrees before backing out of the door. Rather than head straight up to the dressing room, he circles back through the lobby and into the main room to find Aerith, physically and emotionally exhausted.

“Hello, Miss Cloud!” she giggles as he drops down at her table.

Cloud’s eyes fly to her face. It’s certainly not the first time Aerith’s called him that, but it’d gotten to the point where he mostly tuned it out. After his conversation with Andrea, though, he can’t help but stop to try and examine his response to the name.

“Something wrong?” she asks, leaning a bit too far into his personal space and peering at him worriedly.

It doesn’t sound exactly… _right,_ he decides, but he doesn’t particularly _mind_ it, either. “No, nothing,” Cloud answers, shaking his head.

Aerith searches his face for a moment before smiling, satisfied that he’s telling the truth. “Alright then.”

“So…” Cloud starts hesitantly, taking off the wig and dropping it on the table. He runs a hand through his hair a few times, scratching his scalp as he goes and ignoring Aerith’s giggle at whatever it must look like.

“Yeah?”

“You… wouldn’t mind if I came without you tomorrow, right? Since you’re busy?”

“’Course not,” she answers, head tilting. “I’m curious, though… What happened? You’re acting a little weird.”

“Nothing happened, I just…”

“Hmm?”

“Andrea…” He trails off, trying to figure out how to word it without giving her the wrong idea.

Apparently, it doesn’t work, even though he hasn’t even said anything. “ _Ooh!_ ” Aerith exclaims, suddenly grinning. “Are you going to spend some alone time with him?”

Cloud rolls his eyes with a huff, too tired to argue. “Something like that, I guess.”

“Well then,” she says, reaching out to squeeze his hand for a moment. “That’s exciting!”

The blond sighs and stands up, not bothering to justify her comment with a response. “I’m gonna go get changed.”

“Alright! See you in a few!”

——

When Cloud returns, he finds Aerith and Cassius talking again, heads leaned close together and sneaky grins on their faces. They pull apart with utterly unconvincing innocent smiles when they see him. Cash bounces out of his seat and disappears out the doors with a wave and a call of, “Have a good night, you two! See you tomorrow, Cloud!”

“…Yeah, see you,” Cloud replies suspiciously. He narrows his eyes at Aerith, but she just keeps smiling.

“You ready?”

“…Sure.”

“Great, let’s go!”

The walk back to Sector 5 is surprisingly quiet, both of them lost in thought. When they make it back to Aerith’s house, she pauses outside the door, leaning back against it with her hands behind her back. “Thanks for walking me back, Cloud. Have a good night.”

Cloud nods and starts to turn away, then stops. “…Good luck tomorrow,” he says, not quite meeting her eyes. “With your… not-a-date,” he clarifies, and Aerith smiles a little wider, surprised.

“Thanks. Good luck with yours, too.”

He snorts and turns around for real, waving over his shoulder as he starts walking away. “ _Goodnight_ , Aerith.”

“Night, Cloud.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it took way too long to address (and was originally going to be much sooner, but new scenes and chapters are constantly cramming their way in between old ones in my head), but if anyone was still wondering... Yes, Cloud is a cis man in this fic. I am also (very slowly) working on a fic with genderfluid Cloud, but it's a weird modern/college roommates/road trip AU, so... Yeah. Might not appeal to a lot of people, if it ever even gets finished XD;
> 
> (Also, Cloud should really have figured out by now: Cash _always_ knows exactly what he's doing XD)


	10. Chapter 10

The show the next night is a blur. Cloud isn’t even sure _why_ he’s so anxious about his plan to meet with Andrea afterward—there really isn’t any reason to be—but he is. Cassius and Manda don’t help matters; they don’t even _attempt_ to be subtle with the smirks they shoot him all night, and Cash spends twice as long as usual on his makeup. If he wasn’t being so insufferable about it, Cloud might actually feel bad about scrubbing it all off and changing back into his uniform before he heads upstairs.

He uses the key Andrea had slipped him to get onto the fourth floor and takes a deep breath before walking down the hall to knock on the last door. Andrea opens it with a slow smile, and Cloud holds the key out. “Thanks.”

“Keep it,” Andrea replies, backing out of the doorway to let him pass. He closes the door behind them and drops onto the couch. “I trust you’ll use it right and keep it to yourself.”

Cloud hesitates for a few seconds before nodding and sliding it into his pocket. “’Course.” He pauses, eyes darting around the room as he thinks.

“What’s wrong?” Andrea asks, sitting up straighter.

“Nothing... I was just thinking that you’ve probably seen me in costume more than you’ve seen me dressed…” _As a man,_ he wants to say, but he gets the feeling Andrea would disapprove. “Like this.”

The other man considers the statement for a minute. Eventually he answers, “Probably. I think the longest I’ve seen you in your uniform was during the tournament.”

Cloud blinks in surprise. “Oh, right. I forgot that you were there. I didn’t see you.”

Andrea laughs. “Well, you _were_ a bit distracted.”

“Just a bit,” Cloud agrees with a smirk. Andrea pats the spot next to him on the couch and Cloud sits down, habit pulling his back ramrod straight.

“Relax,” Andrea says, resting a soothing hand on his shoulder. He chuckles quietly. “It wasn’t so long ago that this kind of nervousness would’ve been your reaction to someone seeing you in a dress. I would’ve thought you’d be _more_ at ease in your armor, not less.”

“Not nerves,” Cloud denies, although maybe just a _little_ bit of it is. Most of his anxiety has faded now that he’s actually here, though. He makes a conscious effort to sink back into the cushion and uncrosses his ankles. Unfolds his hands after a moment and lets them rest on his legs, though that somehow feels _more_ awkward. “This is just… how I’m used to being here.”

“Ahh, I see,” Andrea replies, nodding in empathy. “It can be difficult to distance yourself from the act, especially when the act is a _part_ of you, and especially when there are cues signaling to your brain that the show is still on.” He stands up and moves across the room to the kitchen area, Cloud looking after him curiously. “I’d imagine I’m probably one of those cues by now,” he says. It’s not quite a question, but the blond gives a small nod anyway. “Right. Well, not much we can do about that, but I _will_ tell you that I don’t _expect_ you to put on any kind of act, and that I’d just like to talk to you as you are outside of the performance… _whoever_ that is. Drink?”

Cloud peers at the bottle of whiskey he’s holding up in offer and nods after a moment. “Sure. Thanks.”

“Welcome,” Andrea responds, returning with two glasses a minute later. He hands one to Cloud and sits back down, just a bit closer than before, but enough for the other man to notice. He doesn’t mention it. “So, Cloud…” he starts, a hint of amusement in his voice, “Tell me about yourself. For all the nights we’ve spent together, I know next to nothing about you.”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “I could say the same to you,” he counters, half to stall and half because it’s true.

“Touché. I’ll tell you my story if you tell me yours.”

He takes a deep breath and shrugs. “There isn’t much to say. I grew up in a tiny backwater town, Nibelheim, and then I got out as soon as I could, joined Shinra and eventually SOLDIER… And after a few years, I found out about some of the things they were up to behind the scenes and left. Came down to the slums at Tifa’s invitation, became a mercenary, and fell in with—” _Avalanche_ is on the tip of his tongue, and Cloud suddenly realizes that for whatever reason, he’d trust Andrea with that. Maybe it’s because of how he’d helped them take down Corneo, or maybe it’s because of the other forms of trust they’ve built up while dancing together, but either way, he _would_. He _doesn_ _’t_ trust the walls not to have ears around here, though, so he finishes, “A group from Sector 7.”

Andrea hums thoughtfully. “Friends?” he asks, and Cloud shrugs. Pauses. Gives a half nod.

“Something like that.”

“That’s good. But the rest of it is hardly anything _new_ ,” Andrea teases. “That’s just your history—and a very _abridged_ version, at that. What about your _present?_ ” When Cloud just furrows his brows, he prompts, “Hobbies, likes, dislikes? Family, pets?”

The blond glances away, swallowing. “Uh… My mom was it, as far as family. She… There was a fire, in Nibelheim. She died.” Andrea gives him a sad look, but before he can try to offer any apologies or sympathy, Cloud rushes on. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but… _this_ is kind of it as far as ‘hobbies’ go. And no pets, but um… There are a lot of cats in Sector 7. Most of them don’t let me near them, but Wedge has three and they don’t hate me _too_ much,” he says with a wry smile. “I guess maybe I wouldn’t mind having one around, eventually.”

“Is Wedge one of the friends you mentioned?”

“Yeah... Yeah, I guess so. Him, Jessie, and Biggs… It’s not like I’m all that close to them, but they’re… nice. _Too_ nice, maybe, too trusting.” He’s rambling now, and he can’t seem to stop even though he’s painfully aware of it. “Barret’s their… leader, I guess you could say. He’s an asshole, but we sort of get along out of necessity.”

“Oh?”

Cloud hums affirmatively. “Hard to explain,” he says, though it _really_ wouldn’t be if he could talk about it freely. “Uh… Having mutual friends means we spend a lot of time around each other. Mostly Tifa.”

“And how’d you meet dear Tifa? And Aerith?” Andrea asks softly, and that’s the moment that Cloud realizes he’s just urging on the rambling, trying to get as much out of him as possible. He lets it work anyway.

“Grew up with Tifa,” Cloud answers. He pauses, takes a deep breath, and forces himself to slow down. “We were neighbors, and pretty close friends I guess, but… I don’t remember a whole lot about back then,” he admits reluctantly. “Hadn't seen her in five years before I came down here, though. And Aerith…” He gives a short laugh. “That one’s a long story, but I fell through the roof of a church and landed on her flowerbed. Well, we met before that, when she was selling flowers, but only for a minute.”

“You… fell through the roof?” Andrea asks, face twisting into a look of concern even as he laughs. “I think that’s one ‘long story’ that I’m willing to spend the time listening to.”

It’s surprisingly tempting to just keep spilling his guts, but Cloud shakes his head. “I… can’t really talk about it. Sorry.”

Andrea tilts his head, searching his face before nodding in acceptance. “Alright, then. Maybe someday.”

“Maybe.” Andrea opens his mouth to ask another question, but Cloud shakes his head again. “Your turn.”

“What you see is what you get with me, darling,” he replies, holding his arms out wide. “I’m afraid you already know most of what there is to know about me, though if you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them.”

“Cheap answer,” Cloud mutters with a smirk. He takes a long sip of his drink, thinking, and then asks mockingly, “Then what about your _history?_ ”

“Hmm…” Andrea frowns for a moment before shrugging. “I grew up on the plate. Came down to Wall Market once with some friends who were looking for a good time, and fell in love with… _some_ parts of it, at least. The freedom, mostly, I think. So I moved down here eventually and built up the Honeybee Inn,” he says, gesturing broadly at the building around them. He laughs and adds, “Not that it was an overnight success—far from it, in fact—but that part of the story isn’t too interesting.”

“I heard that Sophia and Cassius were here from the start…?” Cloud prods. Two can play at that game.

Andrea nods, smiling. “I knew Soph for a few years before I moved, and she let me drag her down here with me easily enough. She still lives on the plate, technically, but I think she spends more time in the slums. Cash showed up at the first auditions, though it didn’t take long to figure out that the dancing isn’t where his passion lies here.” He huffs out a laugh. “Those two are probably the best friends I’ve ever had… but I know some people would argue that it’s not real friendship.” Cloud makes a questioning noise, and Andrea’s face twitches through a series of negative emotions before landing on a sarcastic smile as he explains, “Because I’m their employer.”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “Fuck them,” he snorts before finishing off his drink. Andrea takes the glass, holding up the bottle in offer, and refills it when the blond nods. “It’s not like you’re blackmailing them or something. Besides, Sophia was your friend _before_ she worked for you, right? How’s that add up?”

Andrea smiles down at his drink, and shrugs but doesn’t answer. “Well… That’s about it, honestly. Any other questions for me?”

“…Actually, yeah,” Cloud says, turning to face him and leaning back against the arm of the couch. His eyes narrow, and Andrea tilts his head questioningly.

“Well that’s an awfully suspicious look. What’s rattling around in your brain?”

He’s silent for a while longer before asking hesitantly, “…Is Andrea Rhodea your real name? It’s so… rhyme-y.”

Andrea raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his tone when he counters, “Is _Cloud Strife_ yours?”

“…Touché.”

He laughs. “I’m kidding, honey. Andrea is my real name, but Rhodea is just a stage name. I don’t exactly regret leaving my ‘real’ last name behind, though.”

Cloud nods and takes a sip of his drink to stall. After a long minute, he says begrudgingly, “It _is_ my actual name.”

Andrea chuckles. “I figured, Cloud. You don’t seem like the type to bother with changing your name just to seem unique or edgy. I was just teasing you.” Cloud mutters something into his glass. “Hmm?” Andrea questions, eyebrow raised.

“…I said, ‘you do that a lot.’”

“What, teasing you?” The blond nods, making him laugh again. “Sorry, sweetheart, it’s just too hard to resist when you react so adorably.” Cloud rolls his eyes, and they fall into comfortable silence for a few minutes. Eventually Andrea asks, “You’re not going to let me ask any more prying questions tonight, are you?”

“…Only if they’re easy ones,” Cloud compromises with a short laugh. He rests his head on the back of the couch and closes his eyes; the alcohol definitely isn’t enough to have any real effect on him yet, but it’s enough to help him feel a little more relaxed.

“Alright, I can live with that… Hmm… Favorite food?”

“I said easy,” the blond says, one eye opening to glare at Andrea. It drifts shut again a moment later and he hums in thought. “There was this... casserole my mom used to make, with potatoes. I think that'd have to be it,” he eventually decides with a small smile. “…I’ve got the recipe somewhere, maybe I should find it. It’s been years since I had it.” He sighs quietly and drags himself back to the present. “What about you?”

“Do desserts count?” Andrea asks immediately.

Cloud laughs and shrugs. “Sure, why not?”

“Ice cream.”

“What kind?” he asks, amused with the complete lack of hesitation. He opens his eyes to find Andrea watching him intently and resists the urge to look away.

“Any,” the other man replies with a grin. “But the stranger, the better.”

“…What do you mean by strange? You want ice cream with meat in it or something?”

Andrea makes a face. “No! Just… anything other than the flavors you can find absolutely anywhere— vanilla, chocolate, etcetera.”

“Ah.”

“Mmhmm… What about favorite color?” Cloud raises an eyebrow and glances down at his clothes pointedly. Andrea snorts. “Fair enough. Mine’s blue.”

“Hmm… Books or movies?”

“It depends,” Andrea answers after a moment’s thought. “On the genre and my mood. You?”

“Books. Not really because I like them any better, but they’re easier to take with you.”

“That’s true. Favorite song?”

Cloud glances away. “…Don’t have one.”

Andrea’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “What’s that about? Embarrassed? I won’t judge if it’s cheesy.”

The blond chuckles. “No, I just don’t have one.” He hesitates for a moment, then looks back and admits, “I don’t really… _listen_ to any music. I’ve probably heard more here in the past month than in the year before it.”

“Well, we’ll just have to change that then, won’t we?”

Andrea’s already standing up, but Cloud shakes his head. “ _Really_ not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I insist. And your music education starts _right now_.” He moves towards the speaker in the corner of the room, but a knock on the door stops him in his tracks. He glances at the clock. “That’s… unusual. Sorry, honey. Give me just a minute.”

Cloud nods, frowning at the look of concern on Andrea’s face. He catches a glimpse of Manda as the door opens, but does his best not to listen in on their conversation. “Everything okay?” he asks when Andrea closes the door again and starts putting on his shoes.

“Yes. One of my bees hurt himself—heaven knows why he decided to practice this late anyway—but Manda doesn’t think it’s anything too serious. I’m still going to go check it out, though.” He sighs and shoots Cloud an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry to cut this short, Cloud.”

“Don’t be,” he replies, standing up and stretching. He takes his glass to the sink before turning back to Andrea with a serious expression. “Take care of what you need to.” Cloud hesitates for a moment and does his best to not make it sound like a question when he adds, “There’ll be other times.”

The smile Andrea gives him in response is blinding. “You’re right. Of course. As I said before, you’re welcome here any time. Hold onto that key, okay?”

“…Yeah.”

They walk down to the lobby together, but before they part ways, Cloud glances around to make sure they’re alone. He reaches for a handful of Andrea’s shirt but stops short, huffing at himself. It makes him feel like a child. So instead, he takes a deep breath and holds up his arms slightly. “Can I…?”

“Of course, darling,” Andrea says, smiling gently. He pulls Cloud into his arms, the blond’s eyes falling shut.

_You_ _’re getting greedy,_ Cloud scolds himself. It’s hard to care when Andrea makes a tiny, pleased sound in the back of his throat and starts carding his fingers through Cloud’s hair, though. He pulls away after a few seconds, smiling slightly and nodding towards the door. “You should go make sure everything’s okay.”

Andrea nods. “I will. Have a good night, dear. I’ll see you soon?”

“Yeah. Have a good night.” Cloud nods and waves before heading out. Making the trek home alone is strange, and he finds his thoughts wandering more than usual. When he makes it back to his apartment, he digs around until he finds his phone hidden under his pillow.

_Just realized I didn’t even ask who got hurt. He okay?_

The answer comes a few minutes later. _It was Harvey, and he’ll be fine after a day or two of rest and ice. Just twisted an ankle, as it turns out._ The name seems familiar. They've probably met at some point, but they must not have really talked, because he can't even picture the man's face. Still...

_That’s good._ Cloud pauses, feeling awkward. This is why he hates texts (though they’re not nearly as bad as calls); there’s nothing to fill the silence, no way to look busy while you figure out what to say. After a few seconds he adds on, _Thanks for tonight._

_No need to thank me, the pleasure was all mine ;)_

Cloud glares at the little face for a good minute, but before he manages to think of a reply that doesn’t sound unbelievably stupid, another message comes through from Andrea.

_I’m heading to bed soon, but you’re welcome to keep talking. Promise I’ll reply first thing in the morning._

He rolls his eyes. No way in hell he’s going to sit here talking to himself. _Goodnight, Andrea._

_Sweet dreams, sweetheart._


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick update, yay! I've had all but the first few paragraphs of this one written for weeks, to be completely honest. XD;

Awkward.

Unbearably, _painfully_ awkward.

That’s really the only way to describe the silence that falls when Tifa runs off and leaves Cloud alone with Barret and Marlene in Seventh Heaven. He considers just leaving, but he’d promised to help out, even if the bar _is_ empty. So he busies himself, washing the glasses and wiping down tables that have probably already been cleaned a dozen times, and does his best to ignore them. It’s difficult when he can feel Barret glaring holes into the back of his head and Marlene keeps hiding behind corners but peeking around at him curiously, though.

There’s only so long that he can pretend to be busy, so eventually he sighs and turns around. Hesitates before taking a seat across the table from the other man, because it’d just be more obvious and uncomfortable if he sat down somewhere else. Luckily, Barret’s phone rings before either of them can try to think of something to say. He sighs in relief and stands up, answering it as he heads outside.

When he comes back in, Barret’s gritting his teeth. He glances between his daughter and Cloud before letting out a short exhale. “Can you watch Marlene for a bit, Spike? I gotta run, Wedge got himself into some trouble.”

Cloud looks at the girl peeking nervously around the bar and, against his better judgment, nods. “I’ve got her. Go.”

Barret stares at him for a long moment and then nods resolutely. “I’ll be back soon, sweetheart, I promise,” he says to Marlene before shoving his phone in his pocket and sprinting out the door.

Cloud moves to the other side of the table, facing the bar and waiting patiently until Marlene gathers herself enough to come out of hiding and climb up onto the bench across from him. “Uh…” he starts intelligently. Dealing with kids (or at least, _normal_ kids, the kind that don’t need real monsters slain) isn’t exactly his strong point. “Do you… wanna play a game?”

She shakes her head, staring at the table between them. “…That’s okay,” she says after a minute, swinging her feet back and forth. “I’ll just wait for Daddy or Tifa to come back.”

Cloud’s brows furrow. “…You sure?”

Marlene nods. “You wouldn’t like my games very much anyways.”

“Try me.”

She chances a glance up at him, surprised. “Um… Well… I’ve got books,” she says uncertainly, obviously trying to play it safe.

“Do you _like_ reading?”

Marlene shrugs. “Sometimes.”

“What do you wanna do right _now_?”

“…You can say no, but promise you won’t get mad?”

“Promise.”

“Well… Sometimes Tifa has tea parties or plays house with me. That’s fun,” she says, eyes glued to the table again and tiny hands wringing together on top of it.

Cloud takes a deep breath and steels himself for the inevitable humiliation when one of the others returns. “Okay. Let’s do that, then.”

“Really?” Marlene asks, staring up at him with wide eyes. He nods. “Okay! I’ll go get my stuff!”

Cloud watches after her as she jumps up and dashes to her bedroom. He lets out a quiet sigh. This’ll be a night to remember, one way or another.

——

When Barret returns a few hours later, he’s prepared for chaos. And that’s exactly what he gets, although not exactly the kind of chaos he expected. There are toys and tiny teacups scattered all over the bar floor. Cloud is sitting cross-legged, a baby doll absently cradled in the crook of one arm as he watches Marlene hum to herself and “cook” with her plastic pan and egg.

“Dinner’s ready!” she calls cheerfully, dumping it out on the plate in front of him. “I’ll go get the baby’s bottle for— _Oh!_ Daddy!”

Barret squats low to the floor, arms open to catch her as she barrels toward him and tackles him in a hug. He scoops Marlene up onto his shoulder, and Cloud turns to watch them. He doesn’t bother to drop the doll or move, probably aware that they’d been spotted long before Marlene was. Instead, he just stares blankly, waiting for whatever comments Barret will throw at him.

Barret ignores him for the moment, taking off his sunglasses as he looks up at his daughter. “You okay, baby?” She nods. “Did you have fun?”

“Uh-huh!” Marlene says, nodding again and grinning. “We had a tea party and played house! Cloud was the daddy and I was the mommy, and we had a puppy named Spot!” she exclaims, pointing at a stuffed dog.

Her father raises an eyebrow and Cloud cringes. That sounds _so_ bad. He closes his eyes and braces for the inevitable barrage of bullets, but it doesn’t come.

“Sounds like you had a real good time, baby. But are you ready to go get ready for bed now?” She nods. “Okay, what do you say to Cloud?”

Marlene blushes, but she’s still smiling when she looks to the blond. “Thanks for playing with me, Cloud! Oh! And for making the _real_ dinner!”

“Uh… You’re welcome,” he replies, though it comes out sounding more like a question.

“Alright, Marlene,” Barret says, gently setting her back down on the ground. “You go clean up your toys while I talk to Cloud, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy!” she chirps.

Barret gestures for Cloud to follow him outside. He finally remembers the doll in his arm as he stands, and awkwardly hands it to Marlene, who takes it with a giggle. Then he takes a deep breath and heads out.

The two men stand in silence for a minute, looking out over the town rather than at each other. “…Thanks for looking after her, Cloud,” Barret eventually says, turning to face him. “I mean it. My baby girl means more to me than anything else in the world.”

“I know,” he says, nodding. For all that he still questions about Barret, his love for his daughter is the one thing that could never be doubted.

“So you taking care of her… and even more, you making her _smile_ like that? It means a whole lot. And I think it says a lot about the kinda man you are.”

“Dunno if I’d go that far,” Cloud says uncomfortably, not meeting Barret’s eyes. “All I really did was let her run around me and shove stuff at me.”

“Still. Thanks.” Barret huffs out a breath and claps him on the shoulder. “Maybe Tifa’s right about you after all,” he says before disappearing inside.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, this chapter and the next didn't go at all how I planned, and I wasn't quite sure where to go with them once I started. I think these two are sick of the slow burn, even though there's still so much to get through XD

The incident with Harvey makes Cloud realize that he really only knows a few people at the Honeybee Inn, and none of them particularly _well_. He decides to start reaching out to them, to at the very least learn all their names, though it’s difficult to open up enough for much more than that. Lori asks him to talk sometimes, Andrea always a (mostly) silent guardian in the background, and Manda is more than happy to extend an offer for a beer or a (mostly teasing) chat when she learns that he has his own key to the fourth floor. And of course, Andrea himself is almost always around, and it takes surprisingly little time to become more comfortable with him once they start talking more. Aerith starts making excuses to come to shows with him less often; Cloud’s not sure whether she’s trying to give them more time or is actually keeping busy with something else (or maybe some _one_ else, and he can’t deny he’s been curious about _who_ ever since she appeared the day after her not-a-date with a daydreamy grin and distant eyes), but she doesn’t seem upset, so he says nothing.

Most of the Honeyboys and girls talk freely to Cloud about their lives and jobs, even if he doesn’t say much in return; it’s actually a little terrifying how quickly they put their trust in him. Andrea, on the other hand, will talk about nearly anything in the world, but never mentions the side of his job that doesn’t revolve around dance.

Cloud doesn’t ask.

Even so, every time he passes by the reception desk, there’s a voice in the back of his head that reminds him that appointments with Andrea are booked out three years in advance. It makes his stomach twist in a way he tries not to think about.

He tries not to think about a lot of things these days. Like what exactly is going on in his head to make him walk to Wall Market at 9am on a rare day with nothing else to do. There’s nobody wandering the halls of the Honeybee Inn, which is a little unnerving, and Cloud suddenly realizes that they’re all probably still asleep, with the late hours they keep. He pauses when he reaches the fourth floor, tempted to turn back around and leave, and has to remind himself that Andrea said he was welcome anytime. Guilt still gnaws at him when he knocks on Andrea’s door and the man answers it with a tired smile and only a pair of loose sweatpants on, though.

“Good morning, darling,” he says, opening the door wider to let Cloud in. “What’s the occasion?”

“Uh… Nothing,” Cloud answers, avoiding his eyes as he realizes that he really has no excuse to be here. “Was just wondering if maybe you wanted to do something.” He pauses, cringing. “Probably should’ve just texted, sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“It’s _fine_ , Cloud,” Andrea assures him with a huff of laughter. “I’d love to. Just give me a few minutes to make myself presentable.”

Cloud nods and sits down on the couch, eyes turning to the window and hands twisting together in his lap. He’s distracted enough that he doesn’t notice Andrea’s return until the other man’s hands land on his shoulders, rubbing slightly, and he leans over the back of the couch to murmur, “You’re doing it again. _Relax_ , honey.” The blond jumps slightly but nods, taking a deep breath and trying to loosen up. Andrea stands up straight again, arms crossed and head tilted curiously. “So, did you have somewhere in mind, then?”

“Ah… not really,” Cloud admits, rubbing the back of his neck. He’s starting to realize that he really wasn’t thinking at all when he decided to come here.

Andrea hums, tapping at his cheek as he thinks. “Have you eaten yet? I could do with some breakfast, personally.”

“Uh, no, not yet,” he lies. The other man smiles, but if he knows, he says nothing.

“Fantastic. I wouldn’t trust any of the actual restaurants here, honestly,” he starts. Cloud nods, shuddering as he remembers the widespread food poisoning the first time he came to Wall Market. “But there are some decent stands. We could grab something to go.”

“Sure,” Cloud agrees, standing. He motions to the door. “Lead the way.”

It’s eerie, walking through the empty halls of a place usually buzzing with life. Then they get outside and it’s the exact opposite—people and noise everywhere. More noise than usual, even, considering it’s still morning. It takes Cloud a few minutes before he manages to catch a snippet of conversation that explains _why_. He’s used to getting some attention as he comes and goes from Wall Market, but not much; there are surprisingly few people who have seen him at the colisseum or the Honeybee Inn, and those who have don’t always recognize him outside of it. Andrea, on the other hand, is _very_ well known to the people here, and they whisper curiously all the way across town. The other man just keeps walking with the confidence of someone who _knows_ that all eyes are on him and wouldn’t expect anything less. Cloud tries to follow his example, but it’s difficult when he’s painfully aware that half the people talking about them are wondering what the hell someone like _him_ is doing at Andrea Rhodea’s side and the other half seem to know _too_ well.

Andrea glances over as Cloud shifts his sword on his back. “Everything alright, darling?”

“Fine.”

Andrea hums, clearly not believing him. “We’re almost there. We can grab our food and then get out of here.”

“’Kay.”

They stop in front of a brightly decorated stand, one of the few open at this time, and the man there stops his cleaning to turn to them with a bright smile. “What can I get for you today, fellas?” he asks, wiping his hands off on a rag. “I assume the usual for you, Andi?”

Andrea chuckles. “Yes, thank you. Cloud?” He steps out of the way for Cloud to read the menu, and the blond stares at it blankly.

“I’ve never had a crepe in my life,” he says flatly.

“They’re all delicious, I promise. The ones with meat might be a bit heavy for this early, though,” Andrea says with a laugh. “Just pick whatever sounds good.”

“Uh… Apple cinnamon?” Cloud tells the worker with a shrug. He nods and rings it up, and Andrea steps forward to pay. Cloud is fully expecting it and doesn’t budge, barely holding in a laugh at the almost offended sound that the other man makes. He waits until their food is ready and they’re a decent distance away to remind him, “ _I_ _’m_ the one who invited _you_ out today.”

Andrea grumbles something unintelligible and Cloud actually does laugh. Speaking up more, he asks, “Where to now?”

The blond shrugs with a snort. “If you haven’t figured it out yet, I had no plan here.”

“I may have noticed. Well… It’s a bit of a walk, but there’s always the park,” he says. Cloud bites his tongue and says nothing, because if this wasn’t already wandering into dangerously date-like territory, he’s pretty sure that would take it there. “Or we could head back to the inn… Orrr…” Andrea trails off with a grin.

He takes the bait. “Or what?”

“I know where to get the best view in town.”

“Where?” Andrea just smirks. “…Okay, you lost me. What’s so funny?”

“Believe me, you’ll understand once you see.”

“Okay…” Cloud agrees, brows furrowed as he follows the other man up the steps towards Corneo’s mansion. “Wait, are you…?”

"Mmhmm," he confirms, overly cheerful. Once they make it there, Andrea leads him around to the back of building, humming thoughtfully as he searches. “My plan might be ruined if Leslie didn’t—aha, there it is!” He grabs a ladder that’s laying on the ground and props it up against the wall. “I was hoping he left it here. Be careful, it doesn’t quite reach high enough, so you have to…” He trails off, climbing up the ladder and reaching up to set his paper plate on the roof before pulling himself up with a grunt. Cloud follows his example, and Andrea carefully leads him to the center of the roof, explaining, “Second level’s not as slanted. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not fall off and be flattened into a pancake… or a crepe, I suppose.”

Cloud rolls his eyes but follows him, taking it when Andrea offers a hand to help pull him up. He takes a look around once they sit and admits, “Okay, this is a pretty great view.”

“Made all the sweeter by the knowledge of just how much it would piss off that slug if he was still here.”

He huffs out a laugh. “Can’t argue with that.” Andrea glances at him, then suddenly leans in closer, _too_ close, eyes narrowed. Cloud resists the urge to lean away. “What?”

The other man stares at him silently for a few more seconds before pulling back with a satisfied smile. “You’ve got freckles.”

“Huh?”

Andrea laughs. “With the lights and makeup, I’ve never noticed before. It’s adorable!”

“… _Huh?_ ” he repeats, flustered and confused.

“What part of that was difficult to understand?” Andrea asks with a roll of his eyes, but he’s still grinning. Cloud just shakes his head and glances away with a short sigh. “That’s what I thought.” They eat in silence for a few minutes, and then Andrea speaks up again, quieter this time, softer. “…Can I ask what’s on your mind, honey?”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve seemed a bit… off today. Especially when we were down there,” he says, nodding to the crowds in the streets.

Cloud stares down at the people and bites his lip. “It’s nothing.”

“I won’t make you answer if you don’t want to, but it certainly doesn’t _seem_ like nothing.”

He sets his fork down with a sigh, gripping the edge of the roof as he tries to think of a way to word it that won’t give away the feelings he wishes he didn’t have for Andrea. Everything would be so much simpler without them. “I just… wonder if this is really my place. Harder to believe in the harsh light of day.”

“Your place is wherever you _want_ it to be, darling. We all have to carve out a spot for ourselves in this world. But you aren’t doing it alone, and personally, I think you fit here perfectly.”

Cloud swallows, keeping his eyes on his food. “But you’re all so…” He trails off. Couldn’t finish the sentence even if he wanted to. That fear of being _weak_ , of being uncertain of himself, always seems to come back and bite him in the ass sooner or later.

“Cloud,” Andrea says seriously, waiting until the blond meets his eyes to continue. He reaches up to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear, hand lingering for a few moments, and Cloud forces himself to stay still. “You. Are. Beautiful.”

“I—”

Andrea doesn’t give him a chance to argue. “ _And_ strong, and talented, and witty. And those are _not_ mutually exclusive things. You aren’t only one thing at a time. You don’t _have_ to be only one thing at a time.”

Cloud drops his gaze, faces forward again before asking quietly, “…Why can you always read me like that?” _Like you know what_ _’s going on in my head before_ I _do?_ he adds mentally.

“I’ve always been pretty good at reading people, but it’s something I’ve had to work on, too. After all, it _is_ basically my job to understand what people want and need,” Andrea answers, almost as quiet. Cloud blinks at him, surprised he’s even bringing it up, but Andrea doesn’t offer anything further. Instead he just gives a wry smile, taps the side of Cloud’s head, and adds, “It’d make it easier if you could tell me what’s going on in there every once in a while, though.”

“…’m working on it,” he mumbles, picking his fork back up and taking a bite just for something to busy himself with. “This is good.”

Andrea watches him a few seconds longer before turning away and letting the subject drop. “I _told_ you it would be, didn’t I?”

“Yeah.”

* * *

They head back to the Honeybee Inn once they finish eating, but Cloud stops in the lobby. “There… There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, but it’s, ah… work-related,” he says, crossing his arms so he can’t fidget.

Andrea tilts his head curiously, leaning back against the desk. “Oh?”

“I—” Cloud pauses, jutting out his jaw determinedly, and tries again. “I want to actually be a part of the show. I don’t want to mess with everyone else’s plans and make them change everything when I show up anymore.”

Andrea’s eyes widen slightly in surprise. Carefully, he says, “…You realize that would mean coming on a regular basis, both for rehearsals and performances. No more popping in just when you feel like it and your schedule allows.” Cloud nods. “And that you’ll be paid.”

“That’s not—”

“It’s not up for debate, Cloud. If you’re going to be on the schedule, you’re going to be on the payroll.” Cloud opens his mouth to argue, but after a moment he shuts it, crossing his arms. He looks at the ground between their feet, grits his teeth, and nods again. Andrea watches him thoughtfully for a few more seconds before returning the gesture. “Alright. Then let’s move to my office to discuss the details.”

Cloud nods, and Andrea leads him up to the third floor and unlocks his office. As they sit on opposite sides of the desk, he chuckles. “I have to admit it’s a bit strange to be in here this early.” He digs through the drawers and brings out an oversized calendar with names and notes scribbled all over it. “What days would work best for you?”

Cloud blinks. “Uh… Anything’s fine. Most of the things I do can be taken care of whenever, or with a day or two of notice.”

“Alright,” the other man says, nodding and peering at some of his notes. “Would you be okay with a rotating schedule?”

“Sure,” he answers with a shrug.

“Well, that certainly makes this easy,” Andrea says, laughing. Cloud’s name joins Cash’s at the bottom of the calendar. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll have your first two weeks written up.” He pauses, glancing up at Cloud with one eyebrow raised. “Assuming you’re ready to start right away?”

He nods. “Wouldn’t have brought it up if I wasn’t.”

“Perfect. Just a few minutes, then,” Andrea repeats.

Cloud nods again, glancing around the room and trying not to fidget. There isn’t much in the way of decoration, which is kind of surprising. It’s just a regular office, with a desk and a computer and a filing cabinet and a little splash of color in the form of a blue and red abstract painting that doesn’t seem at all Andrea’s taste. He resists the urge to ask.

“Done!” Andrea eventually says, flipping the schedule around for Cloud to see. “How’s that look, honey?”

He glances at it. Three days, starting tomorrow, then a day off, and then two more days. “It’s fine.”

“Fantastic.” He pauses, head tilting thoughtfully as he watches the blond. “Hmm… I think we should take some time to come up with a truly mind-blowing performance to celebrate you officially joining the crew. What do you say?”

“Wha—” Cloud starts to ask, but thinks better of it. If everything up until now _wasn_ _’t_ huge in Andrea’s eyes, he’s not sure he wants to know what is. But he doesn’t want to back out before giving it a shot, either. “Sure.”

Andrea grins. “Perfect, I’ll put something together tonight, and then I think we should schedule plenty of time to work out the details and rehearse. I’ll make sure everyone knows to keep the stage clear during the day. This one will probably take some practice, even for you. Hmm… I bet you could manage it in about two weeks, though.”

“You already have something in mind?” Cloud asks, leaning forward with his arms crossed on the desk.

“How do you feel about samba?” he asks with a smirk.

“Uh—I—” He’s seen it a few times, and it always looks very… sensual. Moreso than anything else they’ve tried before. Cloud stares down at the table for a minute, biting his lip, before looking back up with a nod. “Okay.”

Andrea’s eyes widen. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t really expect you to say yes.” Cloud’s eyes flash and he opens his mouth to say something, but Andrea holds up a hand to cut him off. “I assure you, darling, I wasn’t teasing you. It was a genuine suggestion, and I promise I can make something that will take your breath away _and_ everyone else’s; I just expected to have to go with a backup plan.”

Cloud searches his face for a long moment, then sighs. “…Alright.”

The other man reaches to squeeze Cloud’s hand briefly before standing. “Thank you for trusting me.”

“I…” He trails off, shrugging helplessly as he stands. “So… Tomorrow, right?”

“Ah, yes, sorry,” Andrea says, leaning back over his desk to quickly scribble down a copy of the schedule they’d agreed on. He hands the copy to Cloud with a smile. “Here you are, honey. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning.”

Cloud snorts. “Noon isn’t exactly ‘bright and early.’”

“It is for me. Not sure if you noticed this morning, but… this work kind of forces me to be a night owl. Don’t tell me you _haven_ _’t_ become one yet?”

He shrugs. “I… wake up a few hours later, I guess.”

Andrea’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “How late is that, then?”

“…Eight, now,” Cloud answers, not meeting his eyes. Andrea makes a sound of disgust.

“You military types, always up at ungodly hours,” he teases. “I don’t know how you can stand it.”

“It’s not _that_ hard,” the blond replies, huffing out a laugh. He hesitates for a moment before nodding. “I should get going. Tomorrow, then.”

“I’ll look forward to it, dear.”

“…Yeah, me too.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I’ll admit I struggled with this one and it shows. A lot. As a non-dancer, it’s especially hard for me to follow Latin dances, even when I watch basic tutorial videos that are meant for beginners. I did the best I could though to get across both the dance and the insane speed of it, so hopefully it’s not _too_ terrible. Also, I’d like to point out [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJldB_R_ukg), which completely inspired this chapter, because it’s… a _very_ different take on the dance than I’m used to seeing (to the point that if anyone reading this actually does samba, I get the feeling it might kind of annoy you tbh), but also because it’s just adorable as hell! XD
> 
> Oh, warnings for descriptions of a mild panic attack and for a slur in this chapter, although it’s used in a lovingly joking way XD;

Andrea wasn’t kidding when he said it would take practice. For having gotten down the basics of the other dances in a day or two, samba turns out to be… a struggle, even from the very first day.

“Okay, let’s start off slow today and not try for anything too fancy, okay?” Cloud nods, and Andrea takes his hands to position them. Left hand on Andrea’s shoulder, right hand clasped in his, and that’s familiar enough. “Alright, the basic step is going to be right foot back…” He waits a half-second for Cloud to obey and steps his own foot forward. “Close. Good. Shift your weight to your left foot, then back to the right again. Forward with your left, close, close. Right, close, close. Left, close, close.”

Cloud nods. The timing is a bit different, but it doesn’t take long to get used to. Andrea releases his shoulder to tilt his chin up. “Don’t stare at your feet, honey, just follow me.” He nods again; he hadn’t even realized he was watching their feet again. “Good. Left, close, close. Right, close, close.” Andrea laughs suddenly. “Loosen up those hips, dear; you look like you’ve never danced a day in your life.”

“Huh?”

Andrea takes a step back. “When you shift your weight, your hips should shift with it. See? Your move is left, close, close. Right, close, close,” he repeats, demonstrating the move on his own. “Make sense?”

Cloud nods, mouth suddenly dry. Andrea steps back into his space, hands falling to his hips, and he forgets how to breathe for a moment. Andrea doesn’t seem to notice. Cloud moves his left hand back to his shoulder, right hand hovering awkwardly for a few seconds before landing on the other.

“Okay, let’s try again. Remember, stay loose. Left, close, close. Right, close, close.”

They go on like that for several minutes, Andrea gently directing him, and Cloud isn’t sure which is worse: the embarrassment of moving this way and knowing that he’ll have to throughout the whole dance, or the way it’s affecting him to have Andrea’s hands on him. “Okay, I think I’ve got it,” Cloud speaks up eventually. Andrea looks back up with a nod, a barely concealed heat in his eyes. Cloud swallows. At least he’s not the only one, then.

If this is just the first step, he’s not sure how he’s going to survive the next two weeks.

* * *

“How are you holding up?” Cassius asks when he spots him wandering the halls after day three.

Cloud shrugs. It’s been a while since he’s felt so in over his head, but… “We’re managing, I think.”

“I meant with Andi,” Cash says with a slight smirk. Cloud gives an even bigger shrug, and Cash laughs and pats his arm pityingly as he walks by. “Well, good luck.”

“Thanks. I think I'll need it.”

* * *

Day four comes, and Cloud doesn’t think he’s ever been so grateful for a day off. Practicing for several hours a day is tough, but doing it in heels is _hell_. He even asks Tifa the night before to cover his shift at the Watch. She seems surprised, but he must _look_ as he exhausted as he feels, because she agrees easily, no questions asked. He sleeps in late the next morning (something in the back of his head notes with amusement that Andrea would probably be proud of that, or maybe just smug), then turns his attention to his aching feet. A quick Cure heals the blisters, at least, but the soreness lingers, so he spends half the day soaking them.

He hears a message notification go off at some point in the evening and spends half an hour looking for his phone, hoping it’s not something urgent. It must not be, because it only goes off the one time and nobody calls. He finally finds it hidden in the shadows under the bed. It’s a text from Andrea.

_Something came up. Take tomorrow off._

Part of him wants to argue, or at least find out what’s going on, but most of him is just relieved. _Okay. Hope everything_ _’s alright._ Cloud tries to shrug off his worry when there’s no reply; Andrea’s probably just busy handling whatever came up.

* * *

“So what happened yesterday?” he asks when he meets Andrea on the stage on day six.

“ _What happened_ is that I saw you _limp_ out of here a few days ago.”

“What? If that’s all, then you sh—”

“ _Cloud_ ,” Andrea cuts him off. He steps forward, grabbing Cloud’s chin and forcing him to meet his eyes. There’s none of his usual humor on his face. “Being tired and sore is one thing; I’m sure you know to expect that from any good workout. But if you are in any _real pain_ , then I need you to tell me, okay?”

“I…” He sighs, nodding as much as he can with Andrea’s grip on him. “Okay.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” he says, stepping back out of Cloud’s space. “Now, are you still hurting today?”

“No, I’m fine.” Andrea raises an eyebrow skeptically, and Cloud lifts his hands in surrender. “Really! I used some magic _and_ spent the last two days off my feet. Let’s keep going; I wanna get this right. I…” He pauses, breath catching in his lungs. Andrea watches him and waits, curious but patient. “I’m thinking about bringing my friends to see the next show.”

The other man blinks in surprise. Cloud barely has a chance to catch his grin before he’s being swept into a tight hug. “Oh, honey… I’m so proud of you. Let’s knock ‘em off their feet, huh?”

Cloud laughs into his shoulder and nods, returning the hug fiercely. “Yeah.”

* * *

On day eleven, Tifa stops in the middle of a monster hunt and turns to stare at him. “Were you just… _humming_?”.

Cloud pauses and rewinds the last minute in his head. “Guess so,” he answers with a shrug. “I’ve had this song stuck in my head lately.” It’s an understatement; they’ve been rehearsing with music the last few days, and the upbeat tune has wormed it’s way so deep in his head that it’s even playing in his dreams now.

“Hmm.” Tifa watches him for a few seconds before shrugging with a surprised smile. She turns away, hands clasped behind her back, and keeps walking with a new bounce in her step. “Alright.”

* * *

Day fourteen. Cloud paces his room for a while, then meets the members of Avalanche at Seventh Heaven for lunch. He hardly touches his food, but nobody notices. The conversation swirls around him and he barely takes in any of it. Eventually, he stands, and everyone glances to him in surprise. He feels dizzy. Tifa touches his elbow, a worried look on her face, and Cloud grabs her hand to ground himself, barely aware of what he’s doing. She jumps in surprise but doesn’t pull away.

“I…” he starts, before he can lose his nerve completely. He licks his lips. “I got a new job.” Cloud pauses, wondering if he was too quiet to hear or if it’s just the buzzing in his ears, but Tifa’s expression changes to one of realization, so _she_ must have heard him, at least.

“A new mercenary gig, you mean?” Biggs asks, brows furrowed. “Or like… a new _job_ job?”

Cloud nods jerkily, not realizing it doesn’t answer the question until Biggs laughs. Tifa squeezes his hand gently, and her suddenly audible breath grabs his attention. He turns to look at her, and she holds his gaze, making exaggerated movements as she breathes. After a few seconds, it finally gets through the fog in his brain that it’s for his sake. He follows her lead, breathing deeply for a minute until the panic settles a bit, then finally turns back to the others.

Jessie and Wedge are sharing looks of concern, while Barret and Biggs mostly just seem confused. Cloud takes one last deep breath and says, “I… don’t think I can explain it right now. But I want you guys to come see. Tonight. I’ll have to leave early, but Tifa can lead you there.”

“What the hell are you on about, Spike?” Barret asks. “What’s wrong with you right now?”

He doesn’t have an answer. Tifa apparently does, though. She gently pushes him down into his chair, hand moving to his shoulder, and says, “Don’t worry about it. I think you’ll understand after you see it for yourselves.”

“You knew about this?” Barret asks, his tone verging on accusatory.

Tifa nods. “I… didn’t give Cloud much of a choice about whether or not to tell me,” she says apologetically, but Cloud shakes his head.

“I would have.”

“Eventually,” she agrees with a sad smile. “Probably right now, in fact.” He wants to argue, but can’t. It must show on his face, because Tifa takes a deep breath and forces her smile wider as she turns back to the others. “I’ll take you all tonight, but in the meantime,” she says, shooting him a meaningful glance and gesturing slightly towards the door with her head, “I think we should let Cloud get rested up for…it.”

Cloud snorts but stands up. “Yeah, I’ll… I’ll see you all later,” he says, waving as he makes a hasty exit. There’s still a strange fuzziness to the edges of his vision and his heart’s racing a little too fast, but it’s not as bad as a few minutes ago. He gets the feeling this has happened before, maybe when he was a kid, but he can’t quite remember what happened or how he got over it. Maybe his mom or even Tifa had made him breathe and talked him down back then, too.

* * *

When Cloud picks up Aerith that night, she takes one look at him and clasps his hand instead of taking his elbow. She squeezes tightly, a reassuring smile on her face as she swears, “You’ll be fine. _Better_ than fine. You’ll be _amazing_ , and they’ll all agree. I promise.”

He nods even though he doesn’t quite believe it, and doesn’t complain when she holds his hand the rest of the way to Wall Market. Aerith parts ways with him at the door to take her usual booth. It’s strange to think she won’t be the only one in it tonight.

Cloud heads upstairs and is relieved to remember that he’s already chosen what to wear, with Andrea’s help. At least he doesn’t have to think about that part, then. Cassius smiles when Cloud sits down in front of him and, for once, is silent as he does his makeup and nails. Then he crosses to the other vanity and pulls the earrings out of one of the drawers. “Good luck,” he says, laughing quietly as he hands them over, and Cloud suddenly realizes that all of this has become some kind of strange routine. The thought catches him off guard, but Cash’s small frown and furrowed brows do even more. “You really shouldn’t leave those here, you know. I doubt anyone would dare to steal or damage them for fear of Andi’s wrath raining down on them, but… it’s always a possibility. And besides, you never know when you might need them somewhere else.”

Cloud twitches slightly, wants to say, ‘Never gonna happen.’ Instead he nods, focusing on his own reflection rather than Cash as he puts the earrings in.

“…Good. Now go kill that dance! We’ll all be watching from the audience tonight,” Cassius says, smile firmly back in place.

Cloud nods and stands. “Thanks,” he says, taking a deep breath before he exits the room.

One last practice run, and then it’s do or die.

* * *

As he waits on the middle of the stage for the spotlights to kick on, Cloud can’t help the nervous glances he keeps throwing at his friends, but it’s useless anyways. It’s too dark to see their faces; he’s not even sure whether they’ve noticed _him_ yet.

Andrea places a knuckle under his chin and tilts his face back to center. “Eyes on me,” he whispers with a surprisingly sweet smile, instead of the smirk Cloud was expecting.

The blond swallows, nods, does his best to focus his attention on Andrea instead of their audience. The music starts, the lights come on, and then they’re moving, and _thank god_ , it’s too fast to think about anything except the next step and where his hands are. They start with a few stationary steps, twirl, hands together, twirl, hands together. Cloud pushes off of Andrea’s chest and spins across the stage, the other man chasing after until he catches him around the waist, spins him one more time, and then leads them into a few whisks and bota fogos. He slides back out of Andrea’s grasp again, catching his left hand as he does, and they do a few steps side-by-side, but Andrea’s eyes still never leave his. Hands grasping his skirt as he swivels, steps, swivels, steps, and twists back to center, kick up, feet tapping together, fling out and back in.

Cloud tenses as the criss cross volta approaches; he’d struggled with the move enough during rehearsals that they’d cut some out of the routine at the last minute. He keeps his eyes up, focuses on Andrea’s subtle leads and on keeping himself from stepping out too far. No time to think about it too much. Gradual turn under their arms, knees together on the cross, side-cross back to center, side-cross, side-cross. Another turn, cross, side-cross, side-cross, side-cross. He flashes a grin at Andrea, pretty sure they got it right this time, and keeps moving.

Arms and hips loose, a few twists as Andrea circles around him, kick, step, and then they’re spinning again, fast enough that the lights and colors blur and all he can focus on is Andrea’s grin. Arm around his shoulders as they promenade, whisk, a few stationary steps. Spin out, then back in again, his back to Andrea’s chest as they lean back and around, and Cloud suddenly realizes that _he_ _’s_ still smiling, too. Twist so they’re facing each other again, cross, ball-change, cross, ball-change. Andrea’s hand on his face, lingering until they slide apart again. Step-close-replace, step-close-replace, step-close-replace. A spin back together, kick up behind Andrea’s leg and a quick turn around him, volta, volta. Step back, forward between Andrea’s legs, hips nearly touching, back with the other foot, forward again. Spin, spin, swivel, swivel, whisk, whisk, and the music cuts suddenly on a spin out.

They pose with arms raised for a few moments before taking their bows as the lights dim again. Cloud’s laughing in between pants for breath. He turns back to Andrea, their hands still clasped together, and steps closer to see him in the low light. “I think we did it,” he says, barely audible over the cheering of the crowd.

Andrea barks out a laugh. “I think you’re right,” he agrees, squeezing Cloud’s hand. After a few seconds, he jolts and starts leading him backstage, and Cloud realizes that they’ve just been standing there like idiots while the crew waits to bring the lights back up.

They stop as soon as they make it to the hall. Cloud feels the same high he got that last time, and on the very first night he came here; it was _fun_. Difficult in a way that took all of his focus, but _fun_. He’s still too far in Andrea’s space, or maybe it’s the other way around, but he can’t quite bring himself to move. The air between them feels charged, and neither of them can stop grinning at the other. Slowly, stomach twisting in nerves and excitement, Cloud brings his free hand up to Andrea’s face. The other man leans into it and takes another step closer, his own hand coming to rest at Cloud’s neck. They lean closer, Cloud’s eyes searching Andrea’s face desperately, and…

And then the spell breaks as Andrea pulls back, giving Cloud’s hand one last squeeze before he drops it. He swallows harshly and looks away, eyes darting to the doorway. “Your friends are waiting on you, right?”

The fire in Cloud’s veins is instantly replaced with ice at the reminder. “…Right,” he agrees as he steps away.

“Cloud—” Andrea starts.

Cloud takes off down the hall, walking quickly, not sure he can handle whatever he’s about to say. He consoles himself with the thought that at least Andrea didn’t look _happy_ about bringing him crashing down. He takes a deep breath and does his best to clear his head as he circles back around to the main room. He’s terrified, but he straightens his back and does his best to look calm and confident as he opens the doors to find the others waiting.

“Nice job, man,” Biggs says, standing as Cloud makes it to the table. He claps him on the shoulder and adds genuinely, “That took some real guts to get up there, especially with all of us watching. Never would’ve guessed you could dance, either! Maybe you can teach me some moves sometime?”

Cloud stares for a minute, surprised and confused, before returning Biggs’s grin weakly. “I… Sure, I guess?”

Jessie is a cackling mess, but she stops long enough to throw her arms around him in a tight hug and say, “You were great, Cloud! And you look _way_ better in a dress than I do!” She pauses, glancing thoughtfully toward the stage where Andrea had been standing a few minutes ago, then continues, “And although I’m a little disappointed to see that I’ve got yet another rival… Well, at least you’ve got taste. That man is _hot!_ I approve.”

Cloud tenses in her arms, sure that he’s blushing to the tips of his ears as the others all laugh. Tifa reads him easily and answers his unspoken question with a teasing grin. “Yes, Cloud, it _is_ that obvious. That wasn’t exactly a new revelation.”

Cloud groans, tipping his head to the ceiling and closing his eyes. He jumps when another pair of arms squishes him and Jessie even closer together. He opens his eyes to see Wedge grinning at him, face too close to focus on properly. “That was amazing, bro!” he says simply, pulling out of the hug to give him two thumbs up. “Can I come and watch again sometime?”

Cloud can’t do anything but stare around at all of them, overwhelmed by the completely unexpected responses. His eyes stop on Tifa and Aerith, who give him soft, proud smiles. “…Yeah,” he says, not looking at Wedge. “Yeah, I think that’d be okay.”

Barret’s the biggest test, of course, and the silence isn’t encouraging. _Three out of four isn_ _’t bad,_ Cloud desperately tries to convince himself. He can’t meet Barret’s eyes, but he catches Tifa pinching his arm, making the other man finally speak up. All he says is, “I thought you said you couldn’t dance, Stamp!”

Cloud glares, though he’s so relieved that it probably comes off much weaker than it’s meant to. “I never said I _can_ _’t_. I said I _don_ _’t_.”

“Well _that_ _’s_ obviously a lie, isn’t it?” he retorts, laughing.

“…It wasn’t at the time.”

“Well then, I guess you can’t use that as an excuse next time, huh?” Barret asks. Cloud just keeps glaring and stays silent.

“Well, I think that deserves a bit of celebration!” Biggs says. “Whaddaya say, a round of drinks on me at Seventh Heaven?”

“By which you mean you’ll use all of _my_ supplies to make them,” Tifa says, giving him a look. After a moment, it turns to a small smile. “Normally I’d be annoyed with you for that, but just this once, I think it’s a great idea.”

The others cheer, and Aerith slides out of the booth to squeeze Cloud’s shoulder while they’re distracted. “Good job, Cloud,” she says quietly, but her eyes betray the fact that she’s talking about so much more than the show. He gives her a half-smile in response before sneaking away to get changed.

* * *

It becomes… a little easier, after that, to relax and enjoy himself during performances. He doesn’t have to worry about someone finding out, or what they’ll say, because the only people who matter already know. They even come to watch, sometimes. Aerith is at her table by the corner of the stage almost every night, as always. Tifa comes whenever she can make it, but that’s not often, since she’s usually working at night. Jessie and Wedge show up every once in a while, their cheers (and, from Jessie, wolf-whistles) loud and embarrassing. Barret and Biggs don’t show up often—usually only when they’re dragged there by one of the others—but Cloud is _more_ than okay with that.

They never talk about it, though, except for the occasional times when Aerith brings it up in private. The moment they walk out the doors of the Honeybee Inn, this part of his life might as well not exist. He’s actually kind of grateful for it.

Having that weight removed from his shoulders lets Cloud throw himself whole-heartedly into the rehearsals and shows. He enjoys the adrenaline rush, and the exhaustion afterward, and he soaks in the attention of the crowd in a way he hasn’t allowed himself since that first dance. Manda notices one night and calls him an attention whore, but she’s laughing and pulling him into a one-armed hug as she says it, so he doesn’t bother with a retort. “That’s alright, though,” she says after a minute, still grinning. “I think we’re _all_ kind of attention whores here. Andi’s the biggest one of all,” she adds in a stage-whisper just as Andrea passes them. He tries to glare, but it’s ruined by the amused quirk of his lips.

“I can’t deny it,” he admits with a laugh. “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t spend every night in the spotlight, now would I?”

For his part, Andrea pretends that nothing happened between them. Cloud follows his lead and tries not to let it get to him. It’s not worth risking whatever strange friendship they’ve built up here. So he chalks it up to the adrenaline rush and moves on, because there isn’t really any other option, and everything stays more or less the same as it had been before that last big show.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first half scene of this chapter is actually the second thing I ever wrote for this fic, almost 3 months ago now. Crazy. Also, for the number of times it’s said in this fic, a better description might’ve just been “Cloud tries.” lol
> 
> I don't have references for all of the outfits in this chapter, but there are [these](https://www.dressedupgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Red-Lace-Skater-Dress.jpg) [two](https://lookbook.nu/look/9239926-Nasty-Gal-White-Platform-Sneakers-Wc-Peach-Top) (only the skirt from the latter).

Cloud slowly comes to realize that he loves both sides of this new life. By day, sitting around with Avalanche in Seventh Heaven or keeping monsters out of the slums. By night, feeling like royalty as he takes over the Honeybee Inn stage and preens at the attention from both the audience and Andrea. At first, he’s happy to keep the two lives completely separate, because to do otherwise seems insane, not to mention impossible. Over time, though, they slowly begin to meld, and he doesn’t even notice until Aerith points it out one day.

“You’re walking like Miss Cloud today,” she says with a quiet giggle, head propped on her hand over the bar. He glances down at himself, surprised to find his hands clasped daintily in front of him. At the same moment, he realizes that he’s been keeping unusually good posture, although maybe that’s one thing that he _should_ hold onto in this side of his life. Cloud immediately pulls his hands back to his sides and settles his weight further back on his heels, trying not to blush. Aerith frowns slightly and sits up straighter. “I didn’t say it was a _bad_ thing,” she points out, and he hates that it feels like she can see straight into his head sometimes. “I just wasn’t expecting it, is all.”

He gives a quiet, meaningless grunt. “Yeah, well…” Cloud trails off with a one-armed shrug and turns away, pretending to search for something behind the bar. He hears the thunk of Aerith’s boots hitting the floor as she stands and walks to his side. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of her concerned expression.

“Really, Cloud. It’s okay. _More_ than okay. It’d make me really happy if you could be yourself _all_ the time, and I know everyone else would feel the same.”

“I _am_ myself,” he insists quietly.

“Of course,” she agrees easily, a small smile crawling onto her face. “But not _entirely_.”

“You don’t _get_ it,” Cloud says, pushing his frustration down. He knows she’s only trying to help, and she doesn’t deserve to have it taken out on her, but Aerith’s idea of helping is just _too much_ sometimes.

Aerith tilts her head and watches him for a long moment, until he can’t stall anymore and finally turns to look at her. Her hands are clasped behind her back as she leans toward him slightly, and she’s wearing that soft smile, the one that says she’s actually taking something very seriously even if it doesn’t seem like it. “So explain it to me,” she says, and even though he knows it’s far from a command, Cloud can’t deny her.

“…I’ll try,” he says eventually. It’s the best he can promise. She accepts it easily, nodding, and they move to sit back down at the bar again. There’s silence for a long moment before Cloud sighs. Finding the right words to say has never been his forte, least of all when it comes to this _thing_ that they all just don’t talk about by unspoken agreement. Eventually, he tries quietly, “It’s like… two separate versions of me. And I don’t _want_ them to cross.”

“Why not?” she asks softly.

“I don’t…” Cloud pauses, grinding his teeth and running a hand through his hair. “ _This_ is me,” he says after a moment, gesturing down the length of his body. “At the Honeybee Inn, that’s… It’s me, but it’s _not_. It’s just… an _act_. A role to play.”

Aerith’s quiet for a long moment, then asks almost sadly, “Is it really? …Can you look me in the eyes and say that, Cloud?”

He tries. He really does. But somehow, he can’t lift his gaze from the bar, from the way her hands clutch at the edge of it. Something wells up inside of him, in his chest and behind his eyes, and it doesn’t make _any_ sense to get emotional over that one simple question, but he can’t open his mouth for fear that all that will come out is a desperate gasp for air.

Aerith exhales sharply, and Cloud finally manages to glance up at her, surprised to see tears running down _her_ face. She leans forward suddenly, hugging him tightly, and buries her face in his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. He tenses, unsure of how to react or even really what she’s apologizing _for_ , but doesn’t push her away. “Is it—? Are you sure you don’t want…?”

He isn’t sure of _anything_ anymore.

She pulls back, watching him carefully. “What if… What if you tried, just for one day? And then you can decide how you feel.”

Cloud hesitates. It’s not a terrible suggestion, but it’s still one that sends a shot of terror through his veins. “…Okay,” he agrees, just to spite that fear. “One day.”

Aerith’s smile is like the sun. “Okay. Do you want me to help, or…?” He considers the question for a minute before nodding, suddenly realizing that he wouldn’t have the slightest idea where to start. “Alright. Hmm… We should go ask Andrea if he’d be okay with loaning one of the dresses to you. That first one was actually from Sam anyways, wasn’t it? It was a gift for you, so there shouldn’t be any problem with you taking it.”

Cloud shakes his head quickly. “I don’t wanna bother Andrea with this.”

“I’m sure he’d be glad to help,” Aerith argues.

“I know he would. That’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“I just…” He sighs. “Let’s just figure out something else.”

She watches him with her face scrunched in suspicious confusion for a minute before letting it go with a sigh of her own. “Okay... Hmm… Oh! That tailor in Wall Market said that you inspired him, right? Maybe he’d be willing to make you something!”

Cloud opens his mouth to argue, but shuts it with a snap. He’d rather not get anyone else involved in this mess, but there aren’t many other options. It’s not like most shops just carry ready-made women’s clothing that would fit him. “Alright,” he groans eventually. “We can ask.”

Aerith claps her hands happily. “Great! And I bet we could find a wig somewhere—”

“ _No wigs_ ,” he cuts her off, cringing at the memory of his last experience with one.

“Hmm alright, then…” She eyes his hair and face for a few moments before brightening. “Your hair’s getting a little longer; we could probably manage to tame it with some product and a few barrettes!”

Cloud blinks and raises a hand to his hair without thinking about it. He hadn’t even realized how much it had grown out; it definitely wasn’t a conscious decision. It still isn’t _that_ long, though, and he wonders silently if Aerith’s plan will work or if it will look horrendous. _This whole idea is a disaster,_ he thinks, and imagining his own reflection in the mirror when they’re done is almost enough to make him want to change his mind and either call the whole thing off or go running to the Honeybee Inn for help.

Something must show on his face, because Aerith tilts her head curiously at him. “What’s going on in there, Cloud?”

He hesitates but eventually confesses, “Just thinking about all the ways this could go wrong.”

“Well maybe you should try thinking about all the ways it could go _right_ instead,” she says brightly, as if it’s just that easy.

Cloud scoffs. “There aren’t many.”

“Sure there are!” Aerith stands and grabs his hand, pulling him up out of his seat. “Come on, no time like the present, right?” Cloud sighs but lets her lead him out of the bar and down the road towards Sector 6, chattering all the way as if to wipe away the uncomfortable conversation from just a few minutes ago. “Hmm… Maybe I should get a couple of new dresses while we’re there, too!”

“Yeah, why not?”

“What do you think would look good on me?” she asks, darting ahead of him and holding her arms out with a sly smile. He shrugs and glances away. “Aww, don’t be like that!”

“Why are you asking me? You’ve got your own taste, and there's someone else whose opinion you care about more, right?”

Aerith shrugs and falls back to his side, linking their arms together. “Maybe, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about _yours_. Besides, they aren’t here, _are_ they?” she adds pointedly.

“I guess.”

“Alright, well… If you won’t answer now, then you can just decide after we get to the shop and see the options,” she says, laughing at the face he makes. When he doesn’t say anything, Aerith turns the one-sided conversation to the new flowers she’s trying to grow in her ever-expanding garden, well-aware that he’s listening even if he isn’t responding.

When they make it to the tailor, Aerith marches straight to the old man who’s standing behind the counter and looking bored out of his mind. She nods at Cloud, but he freezes, face turning red. “Okay, then…” she says with a quiet sigh. Somewhat sarcastically, she asks, “Are you okay with me speaking for you, then?”

Cloud hesitates, eyes narrowing, but nods after a moment. Whatever she says can’t possibly be worse than the gibberish or rambling that will trip out over his own tongue if he tries to explain the situation.

“Would you be able to make a dress or two for my friend?” Aerith asks with her usual bluntness, gesturing at Cloud.

The old man glances up, eyes widening as they land on the blond. “You’re the one from the Honeybee Inn!” he says. The giddy laugh he lets out makes Cloud cringe and take half a step back. “Aha, my latest inspiration! Well, lucky for you, I’ve already got some in stock. Between you and Jules, I’ve had plenty of reason to keep some pretty things around in men’s sizes. C’mere, I’ll show you where they are,” he says, standing up and gesturing for them to follow. He leads them into the far corner of the shop and gestures at a display of dresses, shirts, and skirts on the wall, shoes lined up under them. “I admit it’s not the biggest selection, since there isn’t much demand for them, but if you’ve got something specific in mind, I could try to make it. It’d take some time, mind you.”

“This is fine,” Cloud says quickly, silently willing him to leave.

The man stares at him consideringly for a minute. “Ahh… You must be the one that Andrea and Sophia have been coming to me with all these alterations for, aren’t you?” Cloud glances at him, wide-eyed, and he chuckles. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell them you’ve been here. I was just curious, that’s all. I’ll get out of your hair now,” he says, waving dismissively before he wanders off.

Cloud takes a deep breath, and Aerith pats his back. “You alright?”

“…Yeah, I think so.”

“Good.” She takes a glance around the shop, smile brightening suddenly. “Oh, I’ve got a fun idea!”

“…What?” he asks warily.

“Let’s pick each other’s clothes!”

“Wha—?” Cloud takes a step back, nervous. He still struggles with picking his _own_ outfits; he won’t be held responsible for picking terrible ones for her.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” Aerith insists, grinning. “Besides, we have to try them on anyways, right? So we can just veto anything we don’t like then! Deal?”

“…I guess,” he agrees after a moment, mostly because he knows she’ll get her way eventually anyways.

She claps happily and shoos him to the other side of the store. Cloud wanders as he looks around and can’t help but think that somehow, _this_ is going to be the most awkward part of this entire weird day. He can only hope that Aerith isn’t expecting any particularly amazing choices from him. The woman in question appears at his side about ten minutes later, hands behind her back and an eager smile on her face. “So what’d you find for me?” she asks.

“I don’t know your size,” he says uncomfortably, “But um… These.” He points out three dresses and Aerith nods decisively, grabbing one of each in her size.

“Okay, let’s go try them on!”

Cloud follows her back to the changing room, and Aerith keeps the clothing she’s holding hidden as she slides into the booth. He waits outside, arms crossed and shifting his weight from one foot to the other impatiently. After a few minutes, Aerith walks out in a long, midnight blue dress that trails behind her and looks to him for his opinion. It takes him a minute, because of course she looks gorgeous, but it’s also completely jarring to see her wearing something so dark. “…I like it,” he says eventually, and she beams like he’s just told her she’s the most beautiful person on the planet.

“I think I do, too. It’s… different, but I like it.” Cloud nods, but his eyes must linger on the pink hair ribbon she’s still wearing for a little too long, because Aerith reaches up to touch it self-consciously. The sad smile she gives immediately makes him wish he hadn’t drawn her attention to it. “I know it clashes, but… this stays. Always.”

Cloud nods again. He’s not sure why she looks surprised by that; unless Aerith decides to tell him her story someday, it’s none of his business. “You gonna get it?”

Aerith considers his question for a minute and glances back at the mirror before nodding. “It’s kind of fancy for everyday stuff, but it can’t hurt to have one or two fancy dresses on hand,” she decides with a smile. “Just a minute, I’ll try on the next one.” The next time she emerges, it’s in a white dress with pink swirl designs and an uneven knee-length hem. She grins at him and does a quick twirl, holding her arms out in question. “So…?”

“I don’t know why you’re asking me, I don’t know anything about this stuff.”

“Sure you do,” she says, twisting back and forth to make the skirt flow. “You just don’t like to admit it.”

“No, I mean I _really_ don’t. I did the best I could, but the rest is up to you. Get it if you like it, don’t if you don’t.”

Aerith pouts at him for a minute, but eventually shrugs. “Fine, fine. Spoilsport. I’m buying it,” she says as she turns her back on him and closes the door again. She hums loudly after a few moments. “The last one’s nice, but it doesn’t fit, and they didn’t have my actual size,” she explains. Then she pops out of the room again, back in her usual attire, and shoves some clothes at Cloud. “Your turn!” He nods and enters the room, groaning when she calls, “Make sure you show me each one!”

“Do I have to?”

“…Well, I guess not, but I wanna see whether my choices were any good or not. Besides, why are you getting all embarrassed now? It’s just me, and I’ve seen you in dresses plenty of times now!”

“…That’s different,” he answers eventually as he starts changing.

“Why?” When Cloud doesn’t answer after a long moment, Aerith asks quietly, “…Because this makes it ‘not an act?’”

He still doesn’t reply, flinching at the sad note in her voice, but is distracted when he manages to pull on the first dress and catches sight of himself in the mirror. He snorts.

“What?” she asks, the slightest hint of amusement coloring her voice in response to his own. Cloud hesitates, taking a deep breath before he emerges and gestures at his feet. It takes her a moment, but when Aerith figures out what he’s laughing about, she sticks out her own foot and says, “Hey, don’t knock the dress and boots combo!” Her offense is completely unconvincing paired with her grin, though. She glances over the dress, simple and black with long sleeves and a belt cinched around the middle, and her smile inches wider. “What do you think?”

“I—” He cuts himself off, glancing in the mirror. “It’s… fine.”

Aerith smiles knowingly. “Okay, then. Try the next one?”

Cloud nods, spinning back into the dressing room and closing the door maybe a bit too hard behind himself. “Really?” he asks as he looks at the second dress she’d picked for him.

“Just try it before you judge it!” Aerith replies. He can practically _hear_ her rolling her eyes, so he sighs and changes as quickly as possible. He stares in the mirror for a long minute, unsure of what to think, and eventually Aerith asks hesitantly, “Can I see?”

Cloud opens the door silently and takes half a step out, eyes on the ground. Aerith looks him over, humming thoughtfully.

“What exactly don’t you like about it?” He shrugs helplessly, and she suggests, “Color? Cut? Length?…Ah,” she says as she finally notices the way his arms are wrapped around his stomach. “Just a sec, I’ll go grab something else.” The dress she returns with has a similar look, but is red rather than green and doesn’t have the cut-outs on the stomach. Cloud takes it wordlessly and changes again, slightly less uncomfortable when he steps back out for Aerith’s judgment. There _are_ patterns cut out of the lace over the chest and shoulders, but since he has absolutely nothing to see there, it doesn't bother him as much. “Is that one better?” Aerith asks, face scrunched worriedly. He nods, and her expression loosens a bit. “Do you wanna get it? Remember, you don’t have to say yes for my sake; this is about what _you_ want and what you’re comfortable with,” she says. He hesitates for a moment before nodding again, face hot. “Okay. Do you wanna try the last two?”

“…Sure.”

He doesn’t even make it out the door before tossing the next one aside as a definite “no.” Too tight, too light, and too obviously thrown in as some kind of honesty test from Aerith. To his surprise, though, the last one isn’t actually a dress, but a plain white top and peach pleated skirt. Cloud stares at his reflection for a bit before stepping back out.

“Do you like it?”

“…Dunno.”

“Is there something in particular you _don_ _’t_ like about this one?” He shakes his head, and Aerith sighs. “I’m trying to help, but you really aren’t giving me much to go off of, Cloud.”

Cloud cringes. He knows she’s doing her best, but so is he—how is he even supposed to know his own taste when it comes to things like this? The only experience he has is for shows, where it’s usually either someone picking something out for him that fits the dance or just a general rule of “the flashier, the better.” He bites his lip, not looking at Aerith, and eventually decides, “…I’ll get it. I… might not wear it for a while, though.” Although he's still nervous and embarrassed, he's already practically forgotten their plan of 'one day.'

She gives him a gentle smile and reaches out to squeeze his hand briefly. “Sounds like a plan. It’s okay to work your way up to things at your own pace.”

“That why you’re always pushing me full speed ahead?” he asks with a small smirk.

Aerith smiles guiltily. “Well, you need a bit of a nudge sometimes,” she teases. “But if you ever really want me to stop, just say the word and I will. I’m not trying to hurt you or scare you, Cloud… I just want you to be happy.”

“…Yeah, I know.”

“Good.” She hesitates for a moment before suggesting, “I bet he’d let you wear one of those out if you wanted to.”

Cloud’s heart jumps into his throat, but he nods and changes back into the black dress. When he comes back out, Aerith is jogging back from the other side of the store. She hands him a pair of black heels. “Since it seemed to bother you to wear your own shoes with that,” she jokes. “I figured you’d go with that one, but black goes well with anything anyways.”

“Thanks,” Cloud says quietly. He stares at the ground as they walk back to the counter, grateful that the shop is empty aside from the old man.

He rings them up, and when Cloud glances at him, brow scrunched in confusion at the total, he laughs and explains, “One of ‘em’s on the house. Consider it returning the favor, for helping me get back my inspiration, in more ways than one.”

Cloud’s eyes narrow suspiciously, and he glances at Aerith, but she just shrugs. “I say never turn down free clothes.”

“…Thanks,” Cloud eventually tells the tailor as he hands over the money for the rest.

“Not a problem,” he replies. With a sneaky grin, he adds, “I hope I’ll be seeing you in one of those at a show sometime soon?”

“…We’ll see.”

“Sure, sure,” the man says, waving him off. “And for you, young lady?”

“Just these,” Aerith says, handing over her dresses with a slightly confused grin. Once she’s paid and they’re out the door, she says after a few moments, “He seemed… interesting.”

“Probably drunk,” Cloud says bluntly.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

“Okay then…” She hums in thought. “I’ve got some barrettes and makeup back home, if you want.”

He glances around, heart rate kicking up at the sight of all the people milling the streets. “Fine, whatever, let’s just get out of here.”

“You know that half these peop—never mind,” Aerith says, cutting herself off when Cloud throws her a sharp glare.

She links their arms together, and he focuses on the contact. It helps, a little. Remembering Tifa’s guidance the last time he’d started panicking, Cloud blocks out the people around him and concentrates on his breath. It distracts him from other things too, from potential dangers on the road, but Aerith seems to be paying twice as much attention as usual, covering both their backs. She leads him silently back to sector 5 and carefully winds through the streets, avoiding any Leaf House kids she spots. When they make it back to her house, they sit down at the kitchen table and she tilts her head questioningly, waiting until he comes back to the present to ask quietly, “You okay?”

“…Yeah, I think so,” Cloud answers, a little surprised to realize that it’s true. “Wasn’t as bad as I expected.”

“Good,” Aerith says with a smile and a quick nod. She stands and shuffles around the kitchen, returning with a glass of water for each of them. “You drink that. I’ll go get my things, and we can start whenever you’re ready.”

* * *

It takes some time.

Enough time for Elmyra to come through and shoot him curious looks until Aerith shoos her out with not-so-subtle instructions to take care of the garden. Enough time for Cloud to realize that once they’re done, he’ll have to leave the safety of Aerith’s house again. Enough time for him to stall after that realization.

Aerith waits it out, chatting about everything and nothing until he’s ready. Then she smiles quietly and slides her chair closer to fuss with his hair. It’s kind of strange to not have a mirror there, to have no idea what she’s doing. Cloud tries not to worry about it too much, but he still feels ridiculous when she sticks the barrettes in his hair, sure that it’s still way too short to look decent. He tries to take comfort in the satisfied hum Aerith lets out when she looks at her finished work.

Then she pauses, pushing the hair spray out of the way and grabbing two bottles of who-knows-what, staring at them consideringly for a minute. “I know you’re used to Cash always doing your makeup, but I’m not too bad myself. Promise!” She actually looks strangely nervous about it, and Cloud manages a tiny smile for her.

“I know you aren’t,” he says, then reminds her, “I see it every day.”

She blushes and looks down at the bottles in her hand with a pleased smile. After a few moments, she sets one down and looks back up at him with a gleam in her eyes. “Let’s get started, then!”

* * *

Aerith bring him a mirror when she’s completely finished. He looks… okay. Tries to take in her reassurances that it’s much better than ‘okay,’ but as expected, his hair is too short and terribly uneven once she’s pinned his spikes down, and he’s not used to the sight of his own face with eyeshadow and lipstick in daylight. It’ll take some time to get used to.

Time that, unfortunately, they don’t have. Aerith reminds him with an apologetic expression that they have plans to meet with Biggs and Wedge at Seventh Heaven at nightfall, which is much closer than he realized.

Cloud takes a deep breath, stands, and nods. “Okay,” he says, and Aerith smiles and leads him outside. He tries to force a little bit of the confidence he feels at the Honeybee Inn into his posture, standing taller and tilting his chin up. He doesn’t quite manage to meet Elmyra’s eyes, but he keeps his head held high and his breathing steady as they make their way to Sector 7. There are occasional whispers that he tries to block out, but it doesn’t take long to realize that most people are too wrapped up in their own lives to give a shit what some random stranger they pass on the street does.

Cloud pauses as they reach Seventh Heaven. He’s not sure which sounds worse: facing the people inside, or waiting out here long enough for someone to recognize him. It wouldn’t take much, just a glance at the sword on his back or his mako-bright eyes. Aerith gives him an encouraging smile, and he nods. One more deep breath, and then he’s pushing the doors open, well aware of all the eyes turned his way, customers and Avalanche members alike. The bar is full, so he takes a seat at the round table where Biggs and Wedge are sitting instead. He gives them a warning look, and they stare with wide eyes but remain silent.

The hush of the crowd is broken when a man at one of the other tables starts laughing, but Cloud determinedly doesn’t look at him. Aerith catches the way he tenses and squeezes his arm. It’s probably meant to be comforting, but it kind of hurts; she’s pissed, too. “Hey there, pretty lady!” the man calls out. Cloud grits his teeth and doesn’t let himself reach for his sword in the threat he so desperately wants to make clear.

Biggs stands abruptly and takes a few steps closer to the jeering man, hands on his hips. “Who’re you talking to?” he asks with an overly friendly smile that promises violence. Wedge leans back in his chair to watch, shooting an amused smile at Cloud and Aerith. It’s obviously not the first time he’s seen Biggs like this, and he’s just waiting for the explosion.

Apparently, the asshole at the other table _hasn_ _’t_ seen it before, because he just guffaws and gestures to their table with his chin. “Your little friend over there,” he answers.

A muscle in Cloud’s face twitches. “I don’t need other people fighting my battles,” he grits out quietly.

Aerith just gives him an apologetic shrug, but Wedge whispers back, “It’s too late now. Once he goes off, you can’t stop him.”

Biggs glances at their table before turning back to the man with a faux thoughtful expression. “Oh, Wedge? I guess he _is_ kind of pretty, but certainly no lady…” Wedge barks out a surprised laugh, then puts his hands under his chin, smiles angelically, and bats his eyelashes. A few of the other customers chuckle.

Cloud finally turns to watch the drama unfold and get a read on the crowd’s reaction. Most people seem to be watching with pitying or entertained looks; _they_ _’ve_ seen this before too, and it makes him wonder how many of them know (or have at least guessed) about Biggs’s connection to Avalanche. The person Biggs is focused on is an annoying looking bull of a man, muscled arms contrasting with a beer belly. Most of his graying hair is in his beard rather than his head. Cloud snorts derisively, and Aerith follows his gaze, agreeing quietly, “Could he be any more of a cliche? It’s like he _wants_ to play into a stereotype.”

“Probably does,” Wedge replies, still grinning unnervingly at the man. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I was talking about Blondie,” the man says.

Biggs glances back again, feigning surprise. “Oohhh, you mean _Cloud_ … Hm… _Also_ pretty, _also_ not a lady,” he says, taking another two steps forward.

The other man must finally notice the grenades attached to his belt, because he rears back suddenly, fear in his eyes. He hides it quickly though, smarmy smile falling back into place even as the people at the other table laugh. “Coulda fooled me. Tell you what, he could—”

Cloud stands suddenly. That tone makes him shudder, far too reminiscent of Don Corneo, and he’s tired of this game. He reaches for his sword, but before he’s even fully drawn it, Tifa is rushing out of the backroom and into the middle of the bar. “What the heck is going on out here?” she asks, glancing from Biggs and Cloud’s threatening stances, to Cloud’s outfit, to the man they’re facing down. Understanding crosses her face and she sighs loudly, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him up. “Get the hell out of here, Martin. Whatever you did to start shit, you’re done. You’ve obviously had too much to drink.”

“I’ve only had—” he starts indignantly, but she cuts him off.

“Too much,” she repeats, opening the door and nudging him out. “Come back when you’re sober and can act like an adult.” Tifa turns back, glancing around the room, and lets the door fall shut behind her. She looks from Cloud to Biggs and sighs again, shoulders dropping. “You two should get out of here, too. He might be an idiot, but that doesn’t mean you can just draw your weapons on him in the middle of the bar.”

They glance at each other before turning away, shame-faced. Cloud nods. Biggs runs a hand through his hair and says, “Sorry, Tif. Guess I kind of acted like a kid too. I’ll go cool off and see you in the morning.”

She nods, but an older woman calls out, “No way, don’t kick ‘em out! That was the best show we’ve gotten in weeks, Tifa!” A couple of other customers giggle or murmur in agreement.

Tifa gives her a long-suffering look. “Ellie, I can’t just—”

“Sure you can!” Ellie cuts her off with a grin. Winking, she adds, “It’s not like you’ll get in trouble with the boss, right?”

Tifa stares at her for a long moment, then drops her gaze to the ground and shakes her head. “Fine, whatever,” she says, waving it off. Cloud catches a brief glimpse of her upturned lips as she heads back behind the bar, so he shrugs and sits back down. Biggs joins them after a moment, and they sit in awkward silence until a bottle of beer is plunked down in front of each person at the table.

“Drinks on me,” Ellie says with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. “I only wish Tifa hadn’t come out in time to stop you. It’s far from the first time Martin’s gotten up to trouble here, and it woulda done him some good to have the shit scared outta him for once.”

“…Thanks,” Cloud mutters, unsure what else to say, and the others echo him.

She examines his face for a long moment, but just as the urge to squirm sets in, she says simply, “Whoever did your makeup did a real good job, sweetie.” Aerith beams proudly, and Ellie claps her on the shoulder before turning away. “Well, you all have a good night!” she says with a wave over her shoulder, then returns to her table.

They all sip at their drinks, Cloud and Biggs sharing bewildered looks. After a while, Aerith shrugs and says uncertainly, “Well, that… could have gone worse?”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” Cloud agrees reluctantly.

“I mean, I got called pretty, so _I_ _’m_ happy,” Wedge jokes, nudging Biggs with his elbow.

Biggs laughs, nearly choking on his beer. “Yeah, Wedge, you’re the prettiest princess in all the land,” he promises, grinning. Cloud and Aerith glance at each other and Cloud rolls his eyes, raising his drink to his lips to hide a fond smile.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I said there would be no plot to this? Well, I thought that was true when I said it, but I lied. Basically, I realized that Cloud can’t have a _truly_ happy ending until certain things (namely identity-related things) are addressed. Don’t worry, all of the tags still apply and it won’t happen for a very long while, but this fic will (eventually) follow most of the beats from canon. The only reason that I’m saying this now is to warn that there will be spoilers for the end of the Remake, all of the original game, and possibly Crisis Core or Advent Children when we get to that point, and there will be hints of these things leading up to that point. Those hints mostly start from this chapter, though I don't think it has any spoilers that you wouldn't have already gotten by chapter 14 of the Remake. (Some of you have already noticed some earlier references even when they weren’t intentional, though! XD)
> 
> Reference: [The necklace](https://www.angara.com/p/infinity-solitaire-pear-blue-sapphire-pendant-sp0815sd?stone_grade=aaa&stone_size=6x4mm&metal_type=platinum&cid=ps-gpla-acc!sapphireUSA-adg!101494547720-dyn!SP0815SD-PT-AAA-6X4-pla-891358219911-cmp!9605143189&s_kwcid=AL!6785!3!424912335042!!!g!891358219911!!c&resetChannel=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInODqovnV6gIV7R-tBh0dxQIOEAQYCCABEgKdlPD_BwE) (Minus the diamonds! Jeez, as someone who grew up poor and still thinks $100 or more is way too much money to spend on any jewelry that isn't a freaking engagement ring, I think my heart stopped for a few seconds when I saw that price tag.)

“You’re here early,” Aerith greets Cloud at the door.

“Yeah, guess I was a little…” He trails off with a shrug, but she just nods in understanding.

“We were just about to have dinner, but there’s some extra! Want some?”

“Sure…” he answers, though his eyes dart to Elmyra nervously.

She gives him a smile, hardly glancing at the dress this time, and pats one of the empty spots at the table. “Go ahead and sit down, Cloud. I’ll dish you up.” He nods and takes a seat, and Elmyra pauses, a thoughtful look on her face. After a few moments, she says, “That’s so strange. I swear, it feels like you’re practically part of the family at this point, but you’ve never even been over for dinner before, have you?”

Cloud shakes his head. Warmth spreads through his chest at her words, and he aims a small smile down at the table, jumping when Aerith pats his hand with a grin and a nod.

“I know everyone hates meatloaf, but Mama makes the best. It’ll completely change your mind!”

He huffs out a laugh. “I don’t hate meatloaf.”

She blinks in surprise. “Well, even better then! You’ll absolutely love it,” she declares, beaming at him.

Elmyra returns to the table and sets a plate in front of him with a quiet, “Here you go.” She sits down and waits, watching as her daughter bows her head to pray. Cloud can’t help but notice that she doesn’t follow Aerith’s lead.

Aerith folds the fingers of one hand over the other, eyes closing as she says a silent prayer, and something about the sight is so familiar that Cloud feels like he _has_ to try to remember—

Stabbing pain cuts off his thoughts, and he clutches his head as images flash behind his eyes. Aerith’s hands, folded as they are now—lights reflecting off of water—the glint of a sword. It doesn’t reveal anything that he hasn’t already figured out, but at least it doesn’t last long this time.

“Are you okay?” Aerith asks, leaning closer to peer at him. She looks… concerned, but not surprised. He wonders if it’s because she’s seen him like this before, or because she knows exactly what’s happening to him.

“…Fine,” Cloud eventually answers, eyes narrowed. Aerith nods and looks away. Her hands drop to the table.

Aerith and Elmyra chat throughout the meal. Cloud answers whenever one of them asks him something, but for the most part he’s silent, mind stuck on these flashes he keeps seeing. They feel more like… _memories_ than dreams, and what they seem to add up to becomes clearer every time and makes him more and more uneasy.

“Isn’t it about time for you two to get going?” Elmyra asks. Cloud glances up in surprise; he’d barely noticed finishing his meal, much less the quickly passing time.

“Yeah, it is,” Aerith says, standing to take their plates to the sink. “C’mon, Cloud!” He nods and stands, following her to the door. “Bye, Mama!”

“Have fun,” Elmyra replies. “Will you be coming back early tonight?”

Aerith’s eyes dart to Cloud and back again, a sly smile spreading over her face. “No, I think I’ll be heading back to Sector 7 after we’re done.”

Her mother sighs quietly but gives a resigned nod. “Alright. Just be careful, okay?”

“Of course!” she replies before dragging the blond out the door. She waits until they’re a decent distance from the house before telling him, “I’m glad you chose the red one for tonight.”

“Huh? Why?” Cloud asks, glancing down at the dress. “I kinda regret it, honestly; it’s fucking _cold_.”

Aerith chokes on a laugh. “That _is_ the pitfall of wearing skirts outside, especially short ones,” she agrees with an amused smile that slides quickly into a smirk, “ _But_ the reason I’m glad is because I guarantee Andi’s gonna love it.”

“Wha—?” Cloud starts, not even sure where to _begin_ with that jump.

“He’s got a thing for you in bright colors—or anything _not_ monochrome, really.”

He raises an eyebrow and asks sarcastically, “Let me guess, he told you that himself?”

“Of course not,” Aerith replies, rolling her eyes. “That doesn’t mean I’m lying, though! Cash told me!”

“Gossips,” Cloud accuses flatly. As if it’s anything new.

Aerith grins unapologetically. “I’ll have you know, he gave me that information completely unprompted!” Cloud hums disbelievingly, and she pouts—or _tries_ to, at least, but she can’t seem to keep her smile tamped down. “Really, he did! I think he just wants you two to get together already as badly as I do,” she adds with a laugh.

“It’s not gonna happen no matter how much you all scheme,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“Just admit it, Cloud: it’s only a matter of time. It probably would’ve _already_ happened if you weren’t so goddamn stubborn!”

He blinks at her in surprise, then turns away, crossing his arms. “No, it’s not, and it wouldn’t have.”

Aerith’s brows furrow as she takes in his quiet tone and closed-off posture. “…Cloud?” she asks worriedly, leaning forward to get a better look at his face. “Did something happen?” He shakes his head, lips pursed. She frowns and squeezes his arm tighter but says reluctantly, “…Okay. I won’t make you talk about it. But if you decide you _do_ want to…”

“You’re here,” Cloud finishes for her. “I know.” He almost wants to tell her about… whatever had happened between him and Andrea after the samba performance, if only to ease the concern on her face, but he can’t spit the words out. It feels too personal, too _much_ , too… too goddamn _stupid_ on his part to have misread the situation so badly. “…Thanks. But just trust me when I say it’s not happening and that you can stop all the plotting.”

Aerith obviously wants to argue, but she bites her lip and says nothing. “…We should hurry,” she says after a minute, speeding up. Cloud follows her lead even though he knows that they still have plenty of time. The silence for the rest of the walk is almost painful.

When they make it into the Honeybee Inn, Cloud freezes. “ _Tifa?_ ”

The woman in question smiles and waves at him. “I’ve been waiting for you two! What took you so long?” she teases.

“Lost track of time while we were eating,” Aerith answers, dropping Cloud’s arm to join her on one of the couches. She glances back at the blond with a tight smile and explains, “Tifa wanted to come see tonight’s show, and she was even kind enough to volunteer to be my escort home for the night, so that um… So that you and Andrea could spend some time together.”

“…Okay,” he agrees, relieved when her smile turns a little more genuine. It’s not like he can avoid being alone with the man forever if they’re going to remain friends—or even just coworkers—anyway.

Cloud’s just about to say that he should go get ready when Cassius appears in the doorway. He gapes at him for a long moment before grinning. “Stay right there!” he says, holding a finger up. “Andi had something he wanted to give you; I’ll go let him know you’re here!” Then he’s dashing up the stairs before Cloud can stop him.

He fiddles with one of his earrings self-consciously, twisting it back and forth and poking his thumb with the tip while he waits. He’s glad he took Cash’s advice to keep them with him. There’s something soothing about them, about having a bit of the routine even when he isn’t here, and that comfort was badly needed as he got ready for the night and walked through Sector 7 with curious eyes following him.

Andrea appears a few minutes later and freezes when he spots Cloud. Cash lingers behind him on the last step, still wearing that obnoxious grin, hands held together like he’s on the verge of clapping. “Good evening, honey,” Andrea says, looking him up and down with a smile. Cloud drops his hand away from his ear and nods in greeting.

“Give it to ‘im!” Cassius hisses. He pokes Andrea in the back, and the man laughs but obediently walks closer to Cloud.

“May I?” he asks, holding up a silver drop necklace that ends in a pendant with an elegant twist and what Cloud hopes isn’t a real sapphire. (He doesn't dare to ask, though, some part of him already knowing that it is.) He stares at it for a few seconds before nodding and turning around. Cloud tries to restrain a slight shiver as Andrea clasps the necklace, fingers brushing his nape, but it’s a lost cause when he leans closer, breath hitting the blond's ear as he whispers, “Proud of you.” The space is too small for it to be truly private; the others are watching them all too closely and probably hear it loud and clear, but the attempt still makes Cloud smile slightly when he turns back around. Andrea steps back and looks him over with a satisfied grin. At a normal volume, he declares, “It brings out those beautiful eyes of yours perfectly! That one’s yours to keep, of course, darling,” he adds with a wink.

“Thanks,” Cloud says quietly, reaching up instinctively to finger the pendant.

“You’re welcome, dear.” Andrea hesitates for a moment before asking, “Will you be wearing that onstage tonight?”

Cloud glances down at his outfit and nods. It’s easier, now that he’s here, to shove the nerves and fears back down into the box in the back of his mind where they belong. This is what people here expect from him most of the time, after all. “I had a deal with the tailor. I think he sees it as some kind of advertisement,” he says with a small smirk. Andrea chuckles, and Cloud suddenly remembers that he probably knows exactly who he’s talking about.

“Alright,” he replies, still smiling. “I’ll see you in a bit, then; I need to make sure everything’s ready to go.”

Cloud nods, blinking when Tifa suddenly jumps up. “Oh, can I come see?” she asks excitedly. She pauses, glancing around when she feels every pair of eyes turned on her, and flushes. “I, um… I’m just kind of interested in the behind the scenes stuff. Those illusions last time were really impressive!”

“My, my… You’re all going to know _all_ my tricks soon,” Andrea scolds teasingly. Tifa gives him an apologetic look and he huffs out a laugh. “Of course you can, dear. Follow me.”

“Oh, um, thank you!” she rushes out before hurrying after him.

Aerith gets to her feet with a shrug and a fond grin. “See you after the show, Cloud. Have fun!”

“Yeah, see you.”

“Come on,” Cassius says, starting back up the stairs and gesturing for Cloud to follow him. “Should be an interesting challenge, finding a look that will work with both blue _and_ red.” Cloud’s silent as they climb the stairs. Cassius turns on him when they reach the dressing room. “What’s on your mind, Cloud?”

“Uh, I just…” Cloud starts, digging one heel into the carpet and crossing his arms. He huffs at himself in frustration and forces himself to meet Cash’s eyes. “I was just thinking that I don’t wanna have to rely on you and Aerith forever,” he forces out quickly.

Cash’s brows furrow, but after a few seconds the confusion clears. “Are you saying… that you want lessons?” he asks, smiling when Cloud gives a quick nod. “I’d be _more_ than happy to oblige, but I don’t think we have enough time right now. Would you be willing to come in early for a while?” The blond nods again, and Cash teases, “Perfect. I have to admit that it’ll be a little disappointing to not be able to do up your pretty face myself anymore, though.”

Cloud just rolls his eyes and drops onto the bench, making the other man chuckle. “Just hurry up,” he groans.

Cash tsks at him. “Don’t rush my art!” he scolds, obviously faking his offense. As he gets started, he hum thoughtfully and says, “You know… Something tells me that you didn’t pick out that dress yourself. Am I right?”

“…Yeah. How’d you know?”

He snorts. “Because you’re allergic to color, sweetie.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Cassius raises an eyebrow. “What, so Andi can call you every pet name under the sun, but I can’t use the _one_ that I call _everybody_?” he asks with a smirk.

Cloud flushes slightly, instinctively trying to turn away, but Cash’s hand on his chin holds him still, preventing him from messing up his work. “…You use it as an insult,” he eventually settles on as explanation.

Cash laughs, loud and surprised. “Okay, I can’t deny that, but it’s a _loving_ insult. For when you’re being stubborn or need to have some sense smacked into you. Besides, that isn’t the only reason, _hmm_?”

“…Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?”

“Because, again, you’re stubborn as hell sometimes. And _maybe_ if you learned to actually _speak up_ , then things would go a lot easier for you.”

“Or harder,” the blond replies, making Cassius sigh and roll his eyes.

“ _Stubborn,_ ” he repeats emphatically, but he lets the subject drop with an exasperated shake of his head. He finishes Cloud’s makeup in silence and shoos him out of the room with a reminder to come early the next day.

* * *

After the show, Cloud stops to say his goodbyes to Aerith and Tifa before rushing back upstairs to change. It isn’t until he’s got the hair extensions and makeup removed that he remembers he has no other clothes to change into. He scowls at his mismatched reflection for a few moments before turning away, taking a deep breath, and starting back up to the fourth floor.

Andrea seems surprised to see him when he answers the door, but Cloud supposes he can’t blame him; it’s been a bit since he’s come up here… Well, to see _him_ , anyways. Still, he invites him in with a smile and an offer for a drink, which Cloud refuses. “To what do I owe this pleasure, darling?” Andrea asks as they sit down on the couch.

He shrugs uncomfortably. “…Do I _need_ a reason?”

“Of course not, I just thought—never mind.” There’s a minute of awkward silence before Andrea asks, “So what have you been keeping busy with lately, honey?”

Cloud hesitates. “Uh… the… ‘friends’ I mentioned? In Sector 7?” The other man gives an affirmative hum, so he continues, “I’ve been… doing some work with them.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, they’re…” He trails off, trying to figure out how to word it and whether the urge to tell Andrea the truth is as insane as he thinks it is. Cloud _trusts_ him, though, and the only other people who have access to this floor… well, he might not have the same urge to spill his guts to them, but he trusts them enough to be confident that they aren’t listening outside the door and wouldn’t turn in him or any of the others if they found out. So he swallows and rushes out quietly, “They’re actually a sect of Avalanche, and we’ve been trying to dig into Shinra’s plans.”

It’s utterly tactless and probably a huge, terrifying bomb to drop on someone with no warning, considering that most people know them as _terrorists_. Cloud realizes that about two seconds too late and flinches away. But to his surprise, Andrea _laughs_.

“I _did_ start to suspect when I saw that one of your friends has a gun arm,” he explains. “It’s… not exactly a _common_ feature.” When he notices Cloud staring at him with wide eyes, he waves a hand. “Sorry, sorry. That was probably supposed to be a serious moment, wasn’t it? I was hoping you’d open up about that eventually, but I know it’s not exactly just a small, embarrassing secret that you keep for the sake of your pride. There could be real consequences for someone finding out, so… Thank you for trusting me with that, Cloud.” He smiles, and the blond can’t help but return it. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel comfortable or safe to do so, but I am curious about what you’re ‘digging into’ and whether there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Huh?” Cloud asks, blinking at him in surprise.

“You’re far from the only people who hate Shinra, dear. We’re mostly ignored by them in Wall Market, but I’ve seen enough people come through whose lives were ruined by them that I’d love nothing more than to see them fall.”

“We’re…” He glances away, staring out the window as he continues, “We’re pretty sure that they’re planning something _big_ to take down Avalanche if they try to make another move. We’re trying to figure out exactly _what_ , and how to stop them.”

“That’s… rather vague,” Andrea replies, brows furrowed. “Do you have any idea of what it might be?”

“…I hope not,” Cloud answers with a sigh. Andrea waits, but he doesn’t say anything further. He can’t bring himself to put voice to Corneo’s threats, as if that would somehow make them more real.

“…Alright then,” he eventually says. “I’m not sure there’s much I can do, but I’ll let you know if I hear any whispers through the grapevine.”

“Thanks.”

They’re silent for a few minutes, until Andrea eventually speaks up, sensing Cloud’s need for a subject change. “I meant what I said earlier, you know.”

“Hmm?”

“That I’m proud of you. I hope you realize what a big step it was to dress the way you wanted to out in the ‘real world,’ and that you’re proud of _yourself_ , too.”

“…Thanks,” Cloud replies with a small smile. He falls silent again for a minute but eventually says, “What you said the night we met…” He’s staring at nothing but still catches Andrea’s curious head tilt out of the corner of his eye, so he clarifies, “To ‘never be afraid’… It stuck with me.”

“I was hoping it would,” Andrea says softly.

Cloud lets out a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle and admits, “It’s a work in progress.”

“I wouldn’t expect it to happen overnight. And you’re trying, which is worth a lot more than I think you give yourself credit for.”

He huffs out another laugh and closes his eyes, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “I _am_ doing that,” he agrees, though his tone makes it clear he doesn’t think as highly of it as Andrea does.

“You feeling alright, honey?” the other man asks, voice filled with concern.

For a moment, Cloud considers lying. Then he remembers that Andrea can read people’s bodies like books, and his exhaustion must show in every inch of his. “Just tired. And a headache,” he adds, pulling his hand away from between his eyes briefly to gesture.

There’s a pause, and then the cushion shifts slightly as Andrea moves closer. “Tension in your neck can go straight to your head, you know… May I?” he asks, one hand pressing lightly at the back of Cloud’s neck. Cloud can feel his hair standing on end, and he bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from reacting. Just as Andrea starts to pull away, Cloud nods hesitantly. Then the pressure is back, rubbing at knots in his neck that he didn’t even realize were there. His head drops forward of its own volition, and Andrea chuckles. “This might be easier if…” He trails off, pushing lightly at Cloud’s shoulder, and the blond obeys wordlessly, turning his back to the other man.

“Cloud!” Andrea says, sounding almost offended as he starts rubbing at the muscles with both hands. “What are you doing to your poor body…?” Not waiting for an answer, he scolds, “I bet it’s from lugging that huge sword around all the time!”

“That’s not it.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“Because it’s not a strain for me. Mako-enhanced SOLDIER, remember?”

“Stress, then,” Andrea concludes. His tone leaves no room for argument, but he’s probably not wrong anyways. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Cloud knows that it’s probably stress combined with the lingering effects of the (physically _and_ emotionally) painful flashes of ‘memory’ that he’d gotten earlier at Aerith’s house.

“Mayb—” Cloud cuts himself off with a low moan as Andrea digs his thumbs into a particularly large knot. He immediately claps a hand over his mouth, suddenly wishing he still had the extensions in so he could hide his whole face behind his hair.

Andrea laughs quietly, but there’s something almost sinister about the sound now. He keeps pressing at that spot in tiny, harsh circles, but the pain is nothing compared to how goddamn _good_ it feels. “I bet you reacted this way to Madam M’s hand massage, too,” he teases, and Cloud bites his lip and very determinedly does _not_ answer or make any more embarrassing noises. “Aww,” Andrea coos into his ear after leaning around to catch a glimpse of his face. His voice lowers, an audible smirk, and he’s obviously doing it on _purpose_ , and Cloud would crawl into a hole and never come out if he could bring himself to even _move_. “No need to be embarrassed, dear. I _know_ I’m good at what I do.”

Cloud covers his face with both hands, feeling the heat radiating from his cheeks, and it feels like admitting defeat. Apparently Andrea decides to have mercy on him, though, because he doesn’t say anything else, just silently moves on to his shoulders and back. Cloud doesn’t stop him.

Eventually, he even manages to start relaxing again, though he doesn’t lift his head back up. In fact, he can’t really remember the last time he felt quite so relaxed…

* * *

Cloud opens his eyes what he swears is just a few minutes later, confused and disoriented when the ceiling is the first thing he sees. The second is Andrea, who glances down at him with a smile. “Good morning, sunshine.”

“…What?” he asks stupidly.

“You fell asleep at some point,” Andrea explains, clearly amused. His eyes go back to the book he’s holding even as he continues talking. “Kind of just… slumped back on me. I figured I should let you sleep if you needed it _that_ badly.”

Cloud blinks as he takes that in, then flushes when he suddenly realizes that his head is pillowed on Andrea’s lap. He tries his best to hide any reaction and pretend that he hasn’t noticed. Judging by the way Andrea’s smile inches a little wider, it doesn’t work, but he doesn’t say anything. After a minute or two passes without the other man making him move, Cloud closes his eyes again and slowly forces the tension back out of his muscles. Andrea’s hand falls to his hair, soothing, running through it over and over until he drifts off again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. And with that we've officially passed 50k posted and 83k written in total (so far). I still can't believe how absolutely insanely out of hand this fic got XD;;


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully she will never see this, but I’ve said it in private so that’s alright— _Huge_ thanks to my little sister for not only giving in to my pleading for a link to a “makeup tutorial for a very, _very_ beginner—like, for someone who knows even less than _I_ do,” but also giving me unprompted Cloud-specific advice. (“He’s got a really good face! Skip the bronzer,” was probably the most amusing part of that conversation tbh.) She’s a decade younger than me, but far, _far_ wiser in the ways of makeup lmao. I felt like this was a lesson for myself as much as it was for Cloud, except that it didn’t do me much good since I don’t even own half the products I should XD; 
> 
> (The makeup tutorial is [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DS5IC0Sj1g), if anyone’s curious—apologies to the creator of the video for straight-up stealing some of her instructions, I honestly do not understand enough to find different ways to word half of these things.)
> 
> Sorry if I went into way more detail than is necessary for the sake of the story. The next chapter was originally going to be combined into this one, but I was having too much fun with Cash and Cloud’s banter, since they usually only get a few minutes at a time and this was an opportunity to draw it out more.

The second time Cloud wakes up is even more confusing and disorienting than the first, even though it only takes him a few seconds to remember where he is. Early morning light is streaming through the windows, and Andrea is fast asleep, awkwardly draped over the arm of the couch. Cloud sits up, watching him for a minute and wondering whether he should wake him up or wait or just leave. He takes a deep breath and lets it out on a quiet sigh before wandering to the bathroom.

He stares at himself in the mirror afterwards—his clothes are rumpled, hair sticking up at even more strange angles than usual, and there’s an imprint all the way down one arm and leg from the couch’s pattern—and snorts. A memory creeps up from the back of his mind, some story Jessie had told once about “taking the walk of shame in last night’s dress.” She’d sworn up and down that it was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life at the time, but was laughing so much that she barely managed to get the story out at all. Cloud’s lips quirk at the memory, even as he tries his best to ignore the parallels (and lack thereof) to his current situation. He smooths his clothes out, styles his hair back into the usual spikes as well as he can with only water, and heads back out.

Cloud lingers at the entrance to the living room, still unsure of what to do, but luckily he doesn’t have to think about it for long. Andrea wakes up after a minute, glancing down at himself and around the room in confusion. Clarity dawns when his eyes find Cloud, and he offers him a small smile. “Good morning, darling,” he says, voice rough with sleep.

“Morning,” Cloud replies, nodding and crossing his arms.

“Looks like you’ve got me on your ridiculous schedule again,” Andrea says with a chuckle. He stands and stretches, smirking when he catches Cloud’s eyes dipping down to the the strip of skin that’s revealed as his shirt rides up. “Breakfast?” he asks, wandering over to the kitchen.

“…Sure. Thanks,” Cloud says, taking Andrea’s lead and trying to act like there’s nothing weird about this whole situation. He follows the other man and takes a seat at the island, watching him bustle around.

“Pancakes, or eggs and bacon?” Andrea asks over his shoulder.

“…You’re already making pancakes,” Cloud observes, brows furrowed.

Andrea laughs. “For me. I’m allergic to eggs—funny enough, I’m fine with foods made _with_ eggs, though—but I don’t mind making something else.”

“Pancakes are fine.”

“Want anything in them?”

“Hmm?”

“Bananas? Berries?” Andrea suggests. His face lights up suddenly. “Oh, you liked that crepe, right? I bet I could do apple cinnamon!” Cloud just shrugs. “Well if you don’t have an opinion, then I’m trying that.”

“Whatever.”

Andrea falls silent as he prepares the ingredients, but turns around to lean on the counter and peer at Cloud once the first pancakes are cooking. “You alright, sweetheart?”

“Huh?”

“You’re even quieter than usual.”

“’m fine.”

“…Alright then,” Andrea says, though he still looks skeptical. He straightens up and turns away again. “Coffee?” Cloud shakes his head. “Suit yourself,” Andrea says, though his tone gets across just how crazy he thinks Cloud is.

“Makes me sick.”

“Hmm?” Andrea turns back to him with a look of surprise, and Cloud shrugs.

“Caffeine on an empty stomach,” he explains. “It makes me shaky and sick. Dunno why.”

“If it’s only on an empty stomach, then you can just wait until you’ve had something to eat, right?”

The blond shakes his head again. “It’s fine. Not a huge fan of the stuff anyways.”

“Alright,” Andrea says. He turns the machine on before pouring a glass of water and setting it in front of the other man. They fall silent again until he finishes cooking and sets two plates on the island, circling around to join Cloud. He takes a bite. “I’m not the _best_ chef on the Planet, but I don’t think it turned out too bad.”

Cloud takes a bite of his own food and shakes his head. “’s good. Thanks.” Andrea laughs suddenly, quiet but clear. Cloud gives him a wary look. “…What?”

“Are you embarrassed, honey? Is that what all this is about?”

“Huh?”

“You’re talking in half-sentences and shortening words,” he points out with a smile. “You do that whenever you’re feeling nervous or embarrassed about something.”

“…I do?” Cloud asks, blanching.

“Mmhmm. Either that, or you do the opposite and can’t _stop_ talking. Not that I mind,” Andrea clarifies with a meaningful look. “Frankly, I’m honored when you let me in like that and talk about the things that matter to you. It’s fine if you’re just not feeling talkative, too, but… There’s no reason at all to be embarrassed. You were tired; I let you sleep. That’s all there is to it.”

“…Right,” Cloud says, recognizing the out Andrea’s giving him. It’s somehow a relief and annoying at the same time.

Andrea waits for a minute, but when it becomes obvious that Cloud has nothing more to say, he sighs. “Any plans today before the show? You’re welcome to stay here if you don’t have anything important you need to do…?”

He shakes his head. “Just um… Meeting with Cash downstairs, about an hour earlier than usual.”

“Oh?” Andrea asks curiously.

Cloud looks down at his plate, taking a bite to stall before he admits quietly, “He’s gonna teach me… how to do my makeup.” He can feel the heat rushing to his face and grits his teeth against it, still not meeting Andrea’s eyes.

“That’s wonderful, darling,” the other man says softly. He rubs Cloud’s shoulder for a moment before pulling away. “You know…” he muses, “I can’t help but want to dress you up myself, just once.”

“ _What?_ ” Cloud asks, looking to him with wide eyes.

Andrea shrugs. “Don’t mind me,” he says, lips twitching like he can’t settle on a smirk or a real smile. “Just thinking out loud.”

“That’s not just ‘thinking out loud,’” the blond accuses, snorting. “That’s fishing for a response.”

Andrea laughs. “Aww, you’re catching on too fast now,” he says, trying for a pout.

Cloud rolls his eyes but has to look away, not quite able to restrain the laughter that bubbles up. Smile lingering, he gathers his nerves before he speaks up again. “…You can, if you actually want to. ‘Just once,’ though,” he warns, stealing a glance at Andrea just in time to catch his grin.

“Oh, honey, I’m going to have _so_ much fun with you,” he says. Cloud does his best to shove down any completely unrelated and completely inappropriate mental images that pop up at the words. “I promise, I’ll find something that will make you look and feel magnificent. Hmm… Not today, though. You’ve got your lesson with Cash, and I’ll need some time to find something.”

“Aren’t you the one who picks all the clothes down there anyways?”

“Mm, me and Sophia,” Andrea agrees. He takes a bite of pancake, thinking over his choice of words as he chews. “But I try to keep a big enough selection that it still works out even if you don’t like some of them. So if I’m going to pick just _one_ outfit, it has to be _perfect_.” He aims a disarming smile at him, painfully genuine when he says, “I want you to _feel_ as beautiful as you look, sweetheart.”

Cloud bites his lip, heart clenching in his chest. He can’t even _begin_ to find a response to that, so he just nods and lets his gaze drop from Andrea’s and turn back to his food. It doesn’t take long to finish once they stop talking, and when he stands to take his plate to the sink, he grabs Andrea’s, too. “You cooked, I’ll clean up,” he says when the other man tries to argue. Cloud has to resist the utterly _insane_ urge to lean down to kiss his cheek as he moves past him—as if this is something they do every day, as if they’re an actual couple instead of… whatever the hell they are.

(He isn’t _stupid_. Despite what he tries to tell himself, he knows that this doesn’t fit into any neat, tidy “friendship” box, but he doesn’t know what box—if any—it _does_ fit into. He’d thought he’d figured out where it was _headed_ , at least, but then Andrea had pulled away and he wasn’t so sure anymore… He could still swear that half the shit Andrea says is flirting, but then, what would _he_ know about that, really?)

Cloud washes their plates and utensils, then moves on to the dishes Andrea had used while cooking, doing his best to ignore the feeling of the other’s eyes on him until he feels a little more steady. When there’s nothing left to busy himself with, he turns around, clutching the edge of the counter as he leans back against it. “So… Was there anything you wanted to do?” he asks, trying not to cringe at how awkward it sounds or at the feeling that he’s invading Andrea’s space. _He_ said _you could stay,_ he reminds himself.

“Nothing in particular,” Andrea says with a small smile. “My only plan today was to stay in and do some reading, but I don’t want to bore you,” he adds, laughing.

Cloud shakes his head. “That’s fine with me. I… don’t get a lot of time to read lately.” He pauses, brows furrowing as he realizes, “Actually, I don’t even _own_ any books anymore. My apartment’s… kind of empty. I should probably fix that soon.”

“Planning on staying?” Andrea asks.

Cloud has to glance away from the all-too-knowing look on his face. He swallows, aims for ambivalence. “For now, anyways.”

The other man hums, meaningless, as he stands. “I don’t get much time for reading lately, either,” he says, wandering over to the bookshelf in the living room. “Go ahead and pick whatever you want,” Andrea adds, gesturing to the shelf. His expression turns a bit mischievous as he jokes, “Or I could just read mine to you.”

Cloud pauses mid-step—only for a moment, but it’s enough for Andrea to catch it. His smile softens and he takes a seat on the couch, motioning for Cloud to follow him. The blond hesitates for a few seconds before nodding and curling up on the opposite end, facing Andrea. “…What’s it about?” he asks, trying not to be embarrassed by the fact that Andrea can read him so easily, or by how badly he wants all these stupid, tiny things.

By how badly he wants them to _mean_ something.

“How about I just start over and you can see for yourself?”

“You don’t have to—”

“I _want_ to,” Andrea insists. Too casually for it to be true, he adds, “I could use a refresher anyways. I’ve been spaced out through half the book so far, so I’m sure I’ve missed some important things.”

Cloud rolls his eyes and leans into the back of the couch. “Alright, if you really want to,” he says with a chuckle. He closes his eyes as the other man starts reading.

“…You awake?” Andrea asks after a while, quietly, as if his normal speech would wake Cloud when his reading wouldn’t.

Cloud nods. “Mmhmm. Just… relaxed.”

“…Good.”

* * *

When Cloud wanders into the dressing room that evening, Cassius looks him up and down before smirking pointedly. Cloud glances down at himself in confusion, and still it takes a few moments to realize what the look’s about. “Not a word,” he warns.

Cash ignores him, of course. “Did you actually…?” He trails off, voice half scandalized and half gleeful.

“No _._ ”

He raises an eyebrow skeptically. “Nothing at all…?”

“ _No,_ ” Cloud says, glaring as he sits down on the bench.

“You’re no fun. After everything I’ve done to help, you’re not going to give me _anything?_ ” Cassius asks with a pout. “It’s not like I want to hear all the sordid details, I just wanna know that I can stop worrying about you two spending the rest of your lives with your heads up your asses.”

“You’re a dick.”

“I know,” Cash says, smiling angelically.

“And I didn’t mean, ‘No, I’m not telling you anything,’ I meant, ‘No, there’s nothing to tell,” Cloud adds, rolling his eyes. “We hung out, I crashed at his place. That’s it. So get your mind out of the gutter.”

“So I _do_ have to keep worrying,” Cassius concludes with a sigh. “You’re both _hopeless_. Oh well, not like I expected anything different. Let’s just get down to business then, hmm?”

“ _Please._ ”

“Alright. I’m warning you now that doing makeup is a skill just like any other, and it’ll take practice. So don’t get too upset if it doesn’t turn out the way you want at first, okay?” Cloud’s brows furrow, but he nods. “Good. So, first step—primer,” Cassius says, setting something down in front of him. For such a small bottle, it makes a surprisingly loud _thunk_. “This is probably the easiest part, just… Hold out your hand?” Cloud does, and Cash squirts some of the makeup onto his fingers. “Just get about that much, and rub it all over your face. Try to get it even, but there’s no other real secret it to it.”

“Okay…” Cloud says, leaning closer to the mirror as he follows the other man’s directions.

“…You’ve got a question,” Cash concludes after staring at his expression for a few moments. “Yikes, we’re only on step one. I’m not gonna be a good teacher, am I?”

The blond chuckles and says quietly, “Just wondering what this _does_.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry, probably should’ve explained that first. Primer just… primes… your skin. Um. Gets it ready for the rest and helps the makeup stick better.” Cloud laughs, and Cassius narrows his eyes. “What’s funny about that?”

“Nothing. Just kinda satisfying to see you getting nervous about something.”

“Haha, yeah, yeah… Get your revenge while you can,” Cash replies, rolling his eyes. “I’m not used to trying to _teach_ these things, I just… _do_ them, okay? Now don’t be an ass or I’ll leave you to figure it out on your own.”

“Sorry,” Cloud says, completely insincere. Cash shakes his head but huffs out a laugh. “Okay, now what?”

“Now we wait a minute for it to dry.”

“Alright…”

“Oh, right, I should mention this while we’re waiting. The stuff you’re using today is all—relatively—cheap, because no offense, but I’m not giving my professional-level products to a beginner who’s going to mess up a lot and waste a bunch.”

“‘No offense?’” Cloud repeats, one eyebrow raised.

“I’m serious. It’s going to happen. A _lot_. And it has nothing to do with you in particular; I told you, it’s a skill that you have to learn, and you’re going to mess up a lot in the meantime. Anyways, _as I was saying_ —this stuff is relatively cheap, but it’ll still get the job done. But if you decide that you do want to buy some higher quality products, or you do at some point in the future, then I’ll be happy to give some recommendations. If you just go grabbing random things… Well, there are thousands upon thousands of different products, and you’re likely to get something that doesn’t match your skin tone or type as well as it seems like it will, or something that’s just plain shit.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says, slightly amused.

“Alright, it should be dry now, so next up is…” He pulls another bottle out of his kit and sets it on the vanity.

“Foundation, right?”

“Yes and no,” Cash answers, laughing at the bewildered look Cloud gives him. “This _is_ the point where you’d use foundation if you wanted to, and this _does_ have a similar effect, but you’ve got pretty nice skin as it is, so I went with BB cream, which is… a little lighter.”

“Okay…” Cloud drawls, clearly still confused. Cassius shrugs helplessly. “So how do I do this?”

“Squirt a bit onto your cheek—uhuhuh!” Cash shouts, reaching out as if to grab the bottle. Cloud freezes. “Sorry. Um, start from the inside, by your nose. Yep. Then you use _this_ ,” he says, handing over one of the egg-shaped sponges that Cloud’s seen him use countless times, “To dab it outward.”

Cloud nods, watching Cash mime the motion for a minute before mimicking it.

“Good. Then you do the same thing on the other cheek, your forehead, nose, and chin.”

“So… my whole face,” he says flatly.

“Yep, pretty much. Wow, you really haven’t paid any attention at all while I’ve been doing this, have you?”

“…Not really,” Cloud admits, averting his eyes.

Cash snorts. “Well at least you’re honest about it, I guess. Maybe I should’ve made you observe a few times before trying to teach you.”

“I know… _some_ of it,” he argues.

“Oh?”

“I mean… the lipstick and mascara are… kind of self-explanatory,” Cloud says, painfully aware of the uncertainty in his own voice.

“We’ll see,” Cassius replies with a laugh. “Done?” The blond nods, eyes narrowed at his reflection. “Turn to me? Hmm… Pretty good job, but you see how your skin looks darker over here now than here?”

Cloud looks back to the mirror, paying attention to the spots Cash points out, and nods again. “Mmhmm…”

“You’ll want to even that out more, like this.” He holds out his hand for the sponge and corrects it before reminding him, “It’s all about practice, practice, practice. Definitely not bad for a first try, though. Now for the eyes. We’ll start with the eye shadow first. This is where you get to really have fun,” he says, grinning. He gets a skeptical look in response and rolls his eyes. “Fine—it’s where you get to have fun if you aren’t _allergic to color_.” He pauses, frowning at Cloud. “You know, if this is torture for you, you shouldn’t be doing it. Nothing says that you _have_ to wear makeup, regardless of how you dress.”

Cloud glances away uncomfortably. “It’s not… _torture_. Just… confusing. And frustrating.”

Cash rests his head on his fist, tilting it curiously. “I promise it won’t _always_ be confusing, if you do it enough. But do you think it’ll always be frustrating? Or do you think you’ll enjoy it once you get a routine down?”

Cloud shrugs. “How should I know?”

“Look,” Cash says with a sigh. “I just want to know whether you actually wanna keep going with this. I don’t wanna _force_ you to do something you don’t want to, and I don’t wanna waste my time _or_ yours if you have no interest at all in learning.”

“No, I—Sorry,” he says, glancing down. “I’ll shut up.”

“Not telling you to shut up,” Cassius replies, smile returning, “Just telling you to make up your mind.”

“I… I wanna learn.”

“There we go; that wasn’t too hard, was it? Alright then, what colors do you want?” he asks, opening up an eyeshadow palette with a frankly terrifying number of shades. Cloud shrugs, looking to him with wide eyes, and Cash laughs. “Alright, how about this… Go choose your outfit for tonight—I assume you’re not wearing that again?” he asks, smirking when Cloud glares at him and shakes his head. “Okay, then we’ll go from there. It never hurts to color coordinate.”

“…’Kay,” Cloud agrees after a moment, stretching as he stands. He sorts through the rack for a few minutes before coming back with a deep blue off-the-shoulder dress with a skirt that flares out a bit, longer in the back than the front.

“Blue it is, then,” Cash says, and though he says nothing for once, Cloud catches the way his eyes linger on his necklace. “With colorful eye shadow, you’ll wanna choose four shades—to keep it simple, we’ll just do four shades of the same color. The lightest is your highlighter, then midtone, your main color, and contour,” he says, pointing each out on the palette. Cloud pauses for a moment, going over the names in his head until he’s memorized them, then nods. “So starting with the midtone, you use your thickest brush—”

“There are different _brushes_ , too?”

Cassius laughs and sets four of them down in front of the blond. “ _So many_. But you’ll use these.”

“…And those are all just for the eye shadow,” Cloud confirms, looking at the other man like he thinks Cash is pranking him.

“Yep.”

“…Okay,” he says, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. “Thickest brush, got it, go on.”

“It’ll be tempting to close your eye all the way. _Don_ _’t_. Just trust me, that’s a fast way to destroy what would otherwise have turned out great. Apply the midtone _lightly_ to the crease of your eye”—he points to his own with his pinky—“Upwards. It’s easiest if you start from the outside.” Cash continues directing Cloud, pausing in between each step until he’s followed his instructions.

At the end of it all, Cloud stares at himself in the mirror for a long minute before looking to Cassius with a grimace. “Okay, what’d I do wrong?”

The other man chuckles. “You applied your contour way too heavily, and it overshadowed everything else. Remember to keep your hand _light_ , and focus the contour on the outer third of your lid. Wanna give it another go with the other eye?”

“…Sure.” He does so, stopping occasionally to ask Cash to repeat steps, and leans back to take in the result when he’s done. He snorts. “Still pretty shit.”

“It’s not _that_ bad,” Cash argues. “Nobody would really notice unless they were paying super close attention to your eyes. And it’s _definitely_ better than your first attempt.”

“…Still.” Cloud glances away. “Could you redo it for tonight?”

“Of course, if that’s what you want.” Cloud nods and reaches for the wipes. “Careful not to remove the rest of your hard work!”

Once he’s redone the eye shadow, Cash hands Cloud a pencil and grabs another to demonstrate on himself. “You _can_ just use eyeliner on your lash line, but personally, I think it looks better if you apply it to your waterline,” he says, leaning forward as he works so Cloud can see more clearly. He chuckles. “Huh. I don’t know why I expected this to still be easy without a mirror. It’s really not. I’ll…just finish that afterwards. Your turn.”

Cloud attempts to follow his example, but his hand keeps slipping, and he can’t stop blinking no matter how hard he tries. Cash makes a valiant effort at remaining quiet and supportive, but finally starts laughing after the third time Cloud stabs himself in the eye. “Okay, here, hand it over,” he says, gesturing. Cloud does, albeit with a frustrated frown that is definitely not at all a pout. “I don’t want you to actually hurt yourself, so I’ll do it this time, and then you can practice on me, okay? The blinking is what’s screwing you up, and as long as you don’t stick it directly into my eyeball, I won’t do that.”

Cassius finishes Cloud’s eyes and then hands the pencil back. Despite his assurances, he still blinks when it gets close. The blond gives him a suspicious look, and he holds his hands up. “It wasn’t on purpose, I swear! Guess I’m just a bit jumpy about someone else getting too close to my eye. Won’t happen again, promise.” He turns his gaze away slightly and, sure enough, doesn’t blink again. Cloud sits back when he’s done, and Cash glances over to find a tiny, satisfied smile on his face. He checks his reflection and grins. “Nicely done! See? Told you! It’ll be easier to do your own once you train yourself out of blinking. But remember, until you’re completely comfortable with all this, I’m totally fine with it if you want me to keep doing your makeup! You should feel confident going up on stage, and that won’t happen if you’re focused on what you might not have done perfectly.”

“…Might take you up on that,” Cloud says quietly. Cash just smiles and nods.

He grabs the next item and holds it out, but doesn’t let go when Cloud reaches for it. “Okay, mascara time. So, you say you know this part; explain it to me first before I let you try it out.”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “Just blink on it, right?”

Cash’s eyes widen in surprise and he relinquishes the bottle. “Right…”

The blond laughs at the shock in his voice and reminds him, “You make me do it every time. Not _that_ hard to remember.” He leans close to the mirror again and applies the mascara, taking a few extra swipes when he’s not quite satisfied with the outcome.

“Good,” Cash says when Cloud looks to him for approval. “Next up is highlighter. Use it sparingly. _Please_. You don’t wanna be unnaturally shiny. Just use a small brush and tap off the excess.” He waits for the other man to follow his instructions before standing over his shoulder to point at his cheek. “Apply it very, very lightly to the highest point of your cheekbone, here.”

“So _that_ _’s_ what the… ‘glow’ is.”

“Mmhmm,” Cassius confirms, smiling. “You can add some to the bridge and tip of your nose, too, and your Cupid’s bow.”

“Why is there… so _much_ to makeup?” Cloud asks, frustrated, and Cash barks out a laugh.

“Believe me, sweetie, this is _nothing_. We’re skipping entire steps here and just doing the most basic of the basics, because I figured you wouldn’t have the patience for a routine with nearly as many steps as I’d use for myself.”

“Well, you’re right about that,” he mutters, sighing as he finishes and sets the brush down. He raises an eyebrow at Cash’s reflection, expectant.

“Lipgloss, which I think you know how to use by now,” Cassius says, handing it over. He sets a tube down on the vanity with a smirk. “And I got you some lipstick too, because I know you hate the stuff, but there’s no denying that it just looks _better_ with some looks than gloss does, and because if you choose a decent one—which I have, of course, because I’m a good friend—it should survive any sudden makeout sessions.” He outright _cackles_ at the unamused look Cloud sends him. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sweetie—you just make it too easy! And guess what?”

“…What?” Cloud asks warily.

“You’re done!”

Cloud blinks at him for a moment before pulling back to look at his reflection as a whole. “It’s… not as bad as I expected,” he eventually settles on.

“You look _fine_ , Cloud. Of course you’re going to notice the imperfections, because you just spent an _hour_ hyperfocusing on them as you went. Nobody else will. _Really_.”

“An _hour_ ,” he echoes, shaking his head. “Sheesh. And you do _more_ than this in like… ten minutes?”

“A little longer than that, but yes, pretty much,” Cash answers. “But you have to remember that I’ve been doing this professionally for _years_ now. What I do for you in ten to twenty minutes now probably would’ve taken two or three hours when I started.” Cloud hums noncommittally, and Cash pats his shoulder. “C’mon, up you go. Time to get ready the rest of the way. Be careful not to smudge all that hard work when you get changed.”

“Thanks… for all this,” Cloud says as he stands, not quite meeting the other man’s eyes.

Cash grins. “Anytime.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry, but all of your reactions to the last few chapters have cracked me up. I love you guys, and I’m sorry to keep tormenting you, but I promise we’re getting pretty close! I decided to merge a few chapters together so it won’t be so drawn out. (I know this is a glacially slow slow burn, and I’m starting to worry about what the consequences will be if I don’t hurry it up already lmao)
> 
> The section with Jessie was one of the first things I wrote for this fic, and to be completely honest, I expected her to be a much bigger part of it because of that. She’s ended up in surprisingly little, though, sadly.
> 
> Reference: [Gizelle's dress,](https://talya.pl/kategoria/sukienki-party/sukienka-star-4) which has no importance at all, but I figured I'd share it since I looked it up at one point, and because I just think it's pretty cute XD

After the show, Manda catches Cloud backstage before he can make his way upstairs. Her grin spells trouble. “What…?” he asks warily.

“Come outside with me! There are some people who wanna meet you!”

“Huh?”

“ _Fans!_ ” she says, rolling her eyes like it’s ridiculous that he didn’t understand right away. With a soft smile, she adds, “I know you like to avoid them at all costs, but I think you should meet these ones. It’d really make their day.”

“…Alright,” he agrees reluctantly, because against his better judgment, he trusts hers.

Manda grins and grabs hold of his arm, leading him quickly down the hall, and Cloud stifles a laugh. “What?” she asks suspiciously.

“You just… latch onto me like a leech,” he says with a smirk. “Just like Aerith.”

“A _leech_?” she echoes, outraged. “Well then, I guess we’d better start draining your blood, huh?” She bares her teeth threateningly, leaning closer and closer to his arm, but Cloud just rolls his eyes and keeps walking. Manda pauses just before her teeth touch his skin and huffs. “You’re no fun.”

“Oh, that stings,” Cloud says sarcastically.

She sticks out her tongue and speeds up. “Hurry up, I wanna make it out there before they give up and decide to leave!” When they make it outside, Manda points out some people lingering nearby and urges him forward. She hangs back slightly, trying to give them space while undoubtedly ready to jump in if he makes an idiot of himself.

It’s a group of five boys and girls who look like they’re barely old enough to even get _in_ to the Honeybee Inn. They all start murmuring to themselves and making flailing hand gestures when they notice Cloud watching them, and they eventually push one of the girls closer. She shoots a glare at them over her shoulder before taking a deep breath and walking over to him. “Hi,” she says nervously. She lifts her hand like she’s going for a handshake, then immediately pulls it away and tucks her hair behind her ear instead. “We, um… We saw your show tonight, and it was really incredible! You're an amazing dancer!” she gushes, obviously doing her best to keep her voice calm.

“Thanks,” Cloud says awkwardly. He’s already feeling like he’s in way over his head and isn’t sure how he’s supposed to respond. Usually when fans start calling to him in the street, they aren’t people that he’s been dragged out to meet, and they’re usually saying things that make him feel no guilt when he ignores them and continues on his way.

The girl glances at his face for a moment before turning her eyes to the space over his shoulder. “I was just wondering if we could, um… Maybe get a picture with you?” She pauses and bites her lip before admitting, “This is probably the only time we’ll be able to make it into the Honeybee Inn. It was, um… pretty expensive to get in, much less to buy these fancy clothes.” She gestures to her dress, a short, airy-looking thing in red with cutouts on the neckline, and Cloud frowns.

“You don’t have to buy fancy clothes to see the show,” he says, but the look she gives him in response almost seems offended.

“It would be an insult to the Honeybee Inn and Andrea Rhodea to wear anything less than our best, even as audience members!”

The more Cloud thinks about it, the more he realizes that she must not be the only person who thinks that way; people show up dressed to the nines every night. He still doesn’t get it, but forces himself to keep his mouth shut. The girl watches him expectantly, and he eventually realizes that she’s still waiting for an answer to her earlier question. He glances to Manda questioningly, but she just shrugs. _Your choice._

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, not letting it turn into the sigh that it so desperately wants to. “…Alright,” he says after a long moment, and she makes a shrill, happy noise before snapping her mouth closed with a blush.

“Thank you!” she says before turning around to gesture her friends over. They follow, gathering around Cloud uncomfortably close, but quickly realize there’s a problem.

Manda steps forward with a giggle, hand outstretched. “I’ll take the picture for you,” she says cheerfully, but the girl who’d asked for the picture looks upset by the suggestion.

“I, um… I kind of wanted to ask you if you’d be in it, too,” she says. After a long moment, she gestures for one of her friends to hand the camera over but asks, “Can I get a separate picture with you afterwards, then?”

Manda blinks in surprise but quickly hides it with a grin. “Of course! Anything for a fan, especially one as adorable as you!”

The girl blushes again, smiling at the ground, and doesn’t look up again until the Honeygirl is ready to take the picture. Afterward, as she gets her picture with Manda, Cloud asks the group, “What are your names?”

They all glance at each other, and eventually one of the girls gathers her nerves and steps forward. “I’m Lillith, and that’s Yul, Noveen, Johnny…” Cloud cringes at the reminder of a certain overenthusiastic person as she pauses to gesture to their friend, who’s now deep in conversation with Manda, “And Gizelle.”

“Nice to meet you all,” he says, and they echo the sentiment. They linger awkwardly for a moment before moving to gather the last member of their group to head out. As they start to walk away, Cloud says, “Have a good night, Gizelle. I hope you get the chance to come back again sometime.”

She turns, staring at him with wide eyes for a moment before grinning. “Thanks, Cloud! I hope so too. Have a good night!” She waves, and then they’re all rushing down the street, voices overlapping each other in their excitement until the words become impossible to understand.

Manda waits until they turn the corner and disappear from sight before she slaps his arm lightly. “What were you thinking? You have to be nice to fans!”

“What…?” Cloud asks, confused. He’d thought he _was_ being nice; he was certainly _trying_ to.

“You didn’t smile at them the whole time, even for the picture! Now they’re all going to think you hate them!” She pauses, fist curling over her mouth as she considers. “Although… I guess that stoic look _is_ kind of your thing, so if they’re fans of _yours_ , then maybe they’ll actually be happier that you weren’t smiling… I hope so, anyway.”

“I… didn’t mean to…”

Manda catches the look on his face and gives him a small smile. “I know you didn’t, honey. Sorry, I didn’t mean to go off like that, it’s just… I’ve dealt with fans a few times before, and I try to make sure they always go home smiling and feeling good about themselves and the time they had. I know you aren’t used to it, but don’t you think forcing a smile every now and then is worth it for that?”

Cloud doesn’t answer, but her words stick in his head.

And maybe he’ll never be in that situation again. But maybe he will.

* * *

The possibility is enough to have Cloud seeking out Jessie a few days later. He’s relieved to find her at Seventh Heaven; in fact, he’s lucky enough to catch her without Biggs and Wedge at her side for once. He drops down into the chair next to her, pursing his lips as he tries to figure out the least terrible way to word his request.

“What’s up, Cloud?” she asks cheerfully.

“I, um… I need your help,” he says quietly.

Jessie shifts closer and drops her voice to match his. “With what? Need to make something go ‘boom?’” she asks eagerly.

Cloud chuckles and shakes his head. “Not exactly. You… You were an actress, right?”

Jessie’s smile takes on a bittersweet tinge, but she nods. “Once upon a time. I mean, everyone thinks I _still_ am, but… Anyways, what’s this about?” she asks, shaking herself out of it. Cloud struggles with how to answer for a minute, and she gasps in excitement. “Oh! Does it have something to do with the Honeybee?”

“Yeah. I uh…” He huffs in frustration and eventually decides to just explain the whole previous night to her, stopping at Manda’s comments about how he hadn’t smiled at the kids.

It takes Jessie a minute to understand, but when she does, her grin creeps wider and wider. “Do you want me to teach you… how to smile?” She does her best to restrain her laughter, but a quiet giggle still escapes.

Cloud rolls his eyes and mutters, “Something like that.”

“I… I don’t know if I can do that,” she admits after a minute, blinking owlishly. “It’s not really something I’ve ever had to… _think_ about. Faking emotion for a role, sure, but actually smiling…? It’s kind of just… automatic.”

“I _know_ how to smile,” he says, looking at her like she’s an idiot. She raises an eyebrow skeptically. “Like you said, it’s the… faking emotion part. That’s… hard, for me.”

“I don’t know how to break this to you, buddy, but it seems like emotion in general is hard for you, not just faking it.”

Cloud huffs in exasperation. “Will you help me or not?”

“Of course!” Jessie says, her grin back in an instant. “As long as _you_ agree to actually give it a shot and not just walk away the moment you get embarrassed.” He blanches, and she wags a finger in his face. “Yeah, that’s right! I’ve got your number, mister!”

“…Deal.”

“Alright. Give me a few hours to figure out how the hell this is supposed to work. We can meet out past the tunnel, where the wererats nest, at sunset.” Cloud gives her an unimpressed look, and she shrugs. “I assumed you wanted as few people as possible to see this, and that’s about as private as it’s going to get around here, unless you wanna do it in your room.”

He imagines Tifa hearing them through the thin wall between their apartments and shakes his head resolutely. “That’s fine. I’ll just get there a few minutes early to take out the wererats.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jessie says smugly. She taps her fingernails on the table for a minute, then glances back up to wave him away. “Now get outta here, I need to think!”

Cloud rolls his eyes and stands up, giving Tifa a brief wave as he exits the bar. He’s already doubting whether this was the best decision he could’ve made.

* * *

It’s one of the _worst_ decisions he’s ever made, but a deal’s a deal. Besides, he doesn’t back down from a challenge, and Jessie is clearly aware of that fact. She grins her way through the entire night, laughing every time Cloud gets frustrated enough to start walking away and then turns right back around.

“Come on, one more try?” she prods. It’s the fifth time she’s said that.

He sighs and comes to stand in front of her again, lips pursed and hands on his hips. “Fine,” he grits out, _again_.

“You have to at least _start_ with the smile,” Jessie berates him, poking his cheeks. “How are you supposed to practice keeping it up if you don’t have one to begin with?”

Cloud lets out a long sigh and forces a smile onto his face, but she just laughs. “What?”

“That’s _not_ a smile,” she insists. “You look like you wanna murder me!”

“I kind of do.”

“I know!” Jessie replies way too happily. “But you have to _pretend_ that you don’t! If you can’t even manage it with _me_ , then how are you gonna manage it with a bunch of strangers getting in your face and asking for autographs and shit?”

He shudders at the thought, but closes his eyes and forces himself to relax a little before trying again. Jessie makes a small, pleased sound, and when he opens his eyes again, she’s watching him with a soft smile. It doesn’t last long, because she’s apparently nearly as resistant to showing her actual emotions as he is, and a huge grin takes over again as she pretends to swoon. “Oh, Cloud!” she gasps, clutching onto his arm. “You’re so sexy and talented and I want to have your babies!”

Cloud shakes her off with a disgruntled noise and glares. “What the hell?”

Jessie giggles and takes a few steps back until she’s safely out of his reach. “You think I’m being overdramatic, but sooner or later, I guarantee you’ll have fans who say things like that.”

“…Why does it sound like you’re speaking from experience?”

She shoots him an awkward smile and shrugs. “Because I am. I might not have ever gotten my starring role, but I had a handful of loyal fans who saw every play I was in. A few of them were… very enthusiastic. Although, they said that they wanted _me_ to have _their_ babies instead of the other way around, obviously,” Jessie says thoughtfully, then pauses and reconsiders. “Usually. There _was_ this one girl who… Never mind,” she finishes with another laugh and a shake of her head. “Anyways, the point is, it _will_ happen eventually if you keep performing, so you might as well get used to it now.”

“Are you sure this isn’t just an excuse for you to get away with hitting on me?” he asks skeptically.

“Oh, it _absolutely_ is,” Jessie answers with an unapologetic grin, “But that doesn’t mean it’s not the truth, too.” She gives him a minute to gather himself, then asks, “Ready to try again?”

“Nope.”

“…But you’re gonna do it anyways, right?” she asks, laughter bubbling under her voice.

Cloud glares at her and lets out a long sigh. “…Yep.”

“Good. Now, where’s that smile?”

* * *

After several hours, Jessie finally decides that they’re done, but adds with a mischievous grin that, “We need to put it to the test, obviously!”

“…What do you mean?”

“Well, we’ve just been practicing here, right?” she points out, gesturing at the little enclosed space around them. “So we have to see if you can keep it up around other people! And now’s the perfect time, because it’s pretty late and there won’t be _too_ many people out!”

“…So you want to drag me around out there and make me look like an idiot,” Cloud concludes flatly.

Jessie’s eyes narrow like she doesn’t understand a word he’s saying. “Smiling doesn’t make you look like an idiot. It makes you look _friendly_. And attractive. And—”

“Stop.”

“Fine, fine. Will you do it, then?”

“…Fine,” he says with a sigh.

“Great! To the park we go!” she cheers, grabbing his hand and hurrying out. He has to jog to keep up with her.

“Why the park?”

“…Because I wanna go there, duh,” Jessie answers, glancing back at him to roll her eyes. She’s still grinning, though.

“…Alright,” Cloud says, resigning himself to the fact that he’ll probably _never_ get a straight answer out of her in his entire life.

“Smile!” she reminds him, giving a thumbs up when he does. “Good job! Now just keep it up until we get there!”

For something so incredibly simple, it’s surprisingly hard. When they start passing people, Cloud’s first instinct is to tense up, to go blank or scowl to ward them off. He doesn’t… _like_ people, with a few exceptions, and drawing them in is usually the exact _opposite_ of his goal. He tries, though, and Jessie squeezes his hand in reminder each time it starts slipping. Luckily, she keeps up the pace the whole way, and just as she promised, the roads are mostly empty.

“Nicely done!” Jessie says when they reach the park, finally dropping his hand to clench her own in a victorious pose. She heads over to the swings and takes a seat, and Cloud hesitates for a moment before following her example. She gives him a thoughtful look and says, “You know, I think we should make this a regular thing!”

“What?”

“These lessons! I think you could stand to learn some more about social norms,” she teases.

He levels a glare at her. “No.”

“Aww come on, just a few?”

“ _Why?_ ”

“Because it was fun!”

“For you, maybe.”

“Well yeah, obviously. I really think that a couple of lessons would be beneficial to you, though!”

“…Like what?”

“…Umm… Let me think on that,” Jessie says with a sheepish grin.

Cloud snorts, grateful when she lets the silence linger for a bit. He keeps picturing her wistful expressions throughout the night, though, so eventually he breaks the quiet himself. “You know it’s possible to do two things at once, right?”

Jessie looks to him, head tilted and a retort ready on the tip of her tongue, but her grin fades before it’s really even had a chance to form. “…I feel like it would be an insult to you if I played dumb, so I won’t,” she eventually says instead, kicking at the gravel under her feet. “So yeah, I know. You’ve proven that pretty well all on your own lately.”

“Then why not go for it? You should take advantage of the extra time while Avalanche is ‘on pause.’”

She lets out a loud sigh. “The truth is…” Jessie starts, tipping her head back to look at the false sky as she thinks, “I don’t really _want_ that starring role. Not until—” She pauses, swallowing harshly. “Not until my dad can be there to see it.”

“You could take other roles, though, right?”

“…Yeah, maybe.”

Cloud watches her curiously for a few seconds, but she doesn’t add anything more. “That ‘yeah’ kinda sounds like a ‘no.’”

Jessie huffs out a laugh. “I guess it does, huh? I don’t know… It would just feel weird to get back up on the stage now. Avalanche is my life now, and… the acting itself would feel like the act.”

“And when the mission’s done? When everything’s over and the world’s been saved from the evils of Shinra and their reactors? Don’t you wanna have something to fall back to?”

His tone is slightly sarcastic, but she smiles anyways. “You think we’re ever gonna get that far?”

“…Who knows?”

Jessie takes a minute to think it over. “I guess it _would_ be nice to get back to… Gotta keep in practice so I can make Dad proud when the time comes,” she adds, voice wavering. She swipes at her eyes and forces the grin back on, and Cloud wonders how long she’s been taking her own advice, how long she’s been hiding everything under a smile. “…I’ll think about it. But what would I even do in Midgar, anyways? _Loveless? No_ thank you!”

“Not a fan?” he asks with a smirk.

“To say the least. Now enough of all this gloomy talk, mister! If you aren’t gonna swing, then put all that muscle to good use and come push me!”

Cloud rolls his eyes but gets up to stand behind her. “I might send you over the bar,” he warns, mostly joking.

Jessie just laughs in elation. “That would be _amazing!_ ”

* * *

When Cloud steps inside Seventh Heaven the next day, he’s surprised to see only Aerith there, sitting at one of the tables and idly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She looks up at the sound of the door opening and gasps dramatically, suddenly looking much less bored. “Oh my god, you’re smiling!” she says, hands clasped together. “Like, an actual, _big_ smile!”

Cloud freezes. He hadn’t noticed; maybe he was still doing it out of habit after yesterday’s “lessons.” Now that she’s pointed it out, though, the expression feels strange and awkward on his face. He lets it drop.

“Aww… You looked so sweet for a second there, Cloud!” she teases.

“Looking ‘sweet’ isn’t exactly a goal for me,” he says snidely, but something in him shrinks away as Aerith’s grin twists into a knowing smirk.

“What about ‘pretty,’ then?” she asks, faking nonchalance. “Because you were definitely that, too.”

Cloud glares, but she’s completely immune to it by now. “I’m not even…” he starts, but trails off in embarrassment.

“You can be pretty even while wearing a SOLDIER uniform,” Aerith argues. “In fact, I’d say that you usually are.”

He huffs and turns away, knowing that this is a losing battle and that she’ll only tease him more if she sees that he’s blushing. She probably knows he is anyways. “I only came here to talk to Tifa,” he says, preparing to make his escape. “If she’s not here, then I’m just gonna go.”

“What a coincidence,” Aerith says too cheerfully as she stands and practically skips to his side. “That’s exactly why I came here too, and I know where she is! I’m bored of sitting around waiting anyway.”

Cloud lets out a long sigh. “Where is she, then?” he asks, resigning himself to a full day of this. It’ll probably only get worse—as much as Aerith and Tifa like to tease him, they’re twice as bad together.

“Scrap Boulevard,” she answers, holding the door open and following him down the steps. “She said to just wait for her here because it wouldn’t take long to make her rounds, but it feels like I’ve been sitting there _forever!_ I wish I’d just gone along to help her in the first place.” Cloud hums in acknowledgment, and she glances at him out of the corner of her eye as they walk down the road. “Sooo, what happened?”

“Huh? What happened when?”

“Just now! What had you smiling like that?”

“Nothing,” he says, looking away. “Just drop it, okay?”

Aerith’s eyes narrow. “…Fine,” she says, but something tells him he hasn’t heard the last of it.

They track Tifa down quickly enough, hanging back until she’s killed the monster she’s tracking. As she dusts off her gloves, she glances up at them, eyes widening. “Oh, shit! Sorry, Cloud! I completely forgot I left that note for you!”

He shrugs. “It’s fine. You said you had a job for me?”

“Right,” she says, walking closer. “There’s a shopkeep who needs a shipment picked up. Apparently they got attacked by monsters on the way into town and just… abandoned everything there and ran for it.”

“Professional,” Cloud says sarcastically, one eyebrow raised.

Tifa chuckles. “Yeah. Here, if you’re interested in taking the job, I’ve got a map for you,” she says, pulling a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handing it over. He nods and tucks it away, and she turns her attention to Aerith. “Sorry, Aerith. It took a lot longer than expected.”

Aerith shrugs. “It’s alright. I’m coming with you next time, though!”

Tifa opens her mouth to argue, then snaps it closed. Eventually, she says, “…Okay.”

The brunette rolls her eyes. “What is it with you two always trying to protect me? I can handle myself, you know!”

“I know you can,” they say at the same time. They glance at each other, and the girls both laugh.

“I just… I don’t know,” Tifa continues with a sigh. “This is our _job_ , you know? I’ve been training my whole life, and I know the risks, and I’d rather keep you out of harm’s way whenever possible.”

Aerith gives her a soft smile. “I get it. But it’s really not necessary. I might not have the same training, but I have been pretty proficient with magic my whole life, and I’d rather be here to watch your back.”

“…Alright.”

“Good. Are you done now, or is there still more to take care of?”

Tifa shakes her head. “I think that was the last one. Let’s head back.”

“’Kay.” Aerith aims a mischievous grin at Cloud, ignoring the glare he gives her in response. “Hey Tifa, you’ll never guess what I saw just a little bit ago!”

“…What?” she asks, a smile creeping up as she glances between them.

“Cloud was _smiling_! It was sooo pretty!” she adds, because of course she does. Because she just loves fucking with him.

Cloud huffs in annoyance, and Tifa giggles as she tucks her hair behind her ear. “Is that so?”

“Yep! He won’t tell me what happened, though.”

Tifa shoots him a questioning look, and he rolls his eyes. “I already told her— _nothing_ happened.”

“So you were just… smiling for no reason? That doesn’t sound like you.”

“It’s not like I _never_ smile. I really don’t get why you’re making a big deal about it.”

“Oh, you do,” Aerith acknowledges. “Sometimes. But it’s usually a little tiny thing that you try not to let show! So I’m just curious what made you so happy, especially if it’s something that you’re so eager to hide!” Cloud growls, running a hand over his face, and she chuckles. “Okay, okay, I’ll drop it,” she concedes, sharing a glance with the other woman, who just grins and shrugs.

“ _Thank you,_ ” he says emphatically, hoping it gets the point across that she won’t get an answer no matter how much she prods.

* * *

Aerith _does_ get an answer later that night, albeit not a verbal one.

Cloud takes a deep breath and straightens up as they approach the little corner of Wall Market that holds the Honeybee Inn. He forces a smile onto his face, and Aerith gapes at him. After a moment, understanding seems to dawn, and she looks away with a smile of her own. He tries not to let the stares of the people waiting in line get to him; they’re _always_ staring here, but somehow he’s much more conscious of it now, and it makes him more and more aware of how stiff his expression is growing. Aerith squeezes his arm encouragingly, and they keep walking. It’s a relief when they make it inside and find that the receptionist ( _Albert_ _… Aiden… Alton!_ he thinks victoriously) is the only person in the lobby. “Good evening, Mr. Cloud, Ms. Aerith,” he says cheerfully.

“You really don’t have to call me that,” Cloud says, more out of habit than any hope that he’ll actually listen. Alton just gives him a pleasant smile that says he’ll ignore it as always.

Aerith giggles as she drops his arm and walks backwards to the doors. “Good evening, Alton,” she echoes. Then she’s gone with a wave and a promise of, “I’ll see you later, Cloud.”

He nods and starts up the stairs, but before he can make it three steps, there’s a low, familiar voice in his ear. “Well, darling, what a delightful surprise.”

Cloud turns to face Andrea and, he notes with quiet pride, does _not_ blush when the other man lifts his hand to his lips. “Huh?” he asks, genuinely confused. It _shouldn_ _’t_ be a surprise; he _was_ on the schedule for tonight. As soon as the thought crosses his mind, though, he second guesses himself. He _was_ , wasn’t he?

Andrea chuckles and clarifies, “You look even _more_ radiant than usual when you smile, my dear. I don’t think I’ve seen that for more than a few seconds before.”

And _there_ _’s_ the blush. Cloud holds back a sigh. He considers explaining, but… What would he even say? _Manda scolded me for not smiling at some fans, so I went to a friend for acting lessons?_ The truth sounds absolutely ridiculous. Better to just let him think he was happy enough about something that he just couldn’t contain it.

“So, what’s got you so happy tonight, hmm?” Andrea asks, and Cloud immediately sees the problem with his decision. Really, with all of Aerith’s poking and prodding earlier, he should’ve seen it sooner.

“Ah, well…” He freezes, biting his lip, and catches the other man’s eyes zeroing in on the motion. If he had any hope of thinking up a lie to begin with, it’s gone then. He laughs awkwardly. “Nothing, really…”

Andrea’s gaze ticks back up to meet his, one eyebrow raised curiously. “Well, whatever it is, I hope it sticks around.” His voice betrays the slightest hint of amusement, making Cloud wonder whether he’s somehow figured out the truth already.

Cloud hums ambiguously and gives a slight nod. “I need to…” he says, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.

“Of course, honey. Sorry to keep you. Go get ready, and I’ll see you in a bit.” Cloud nods again and turns to leave, but Andrea catches him lightly by the elbow. “Oh, and sweetheart? If you’re up for it, I should have everything ready for what we discussed tomorrow.”

It takes Cloud a few seconds to remember what he’s talking about, the flash of memory ( _“I can’t help but want to dress you up for myself, just once.”_ ) making his heart skip a beat. “…Sure,” he agrees, turning away again once Andrea smiles and releases his arm. Cloud can feel his eyes on him as he walks stiffly up the stairs. When he gets to the dressing room, Cassius takes one glance at him and bursts into laughter. “That bad?” Cloud asks, sinking onto the bench at his vanity and dropping his head into his hands.

“You look like you just escaped hell,” Cash answers. “What happened?” The blond groans unintelligibly and he guesses, “Andi tormenting you again?”

“Not on purpose,” Cloud answers, then reconsiders. “I think.”

“Is it ever?” Cloud lifts his head to give him a disbelievingly look, and Cassius concedes, “Okay, yeah, I guess it probably is, usually. Only because you make it so easy, though.”

“So you said yesterday,” he groans.

“So what happened?” Cloud glares murderously at him, sick to death of that question, and Cash raises his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright! You don’t have to tell me, sheesh! …So, do you wanna take another shot at your makeup tonight, or do you want me to do it?”

He considers it for a moment before standing to get changed. “You. I don’t have the time _or_ the energy right now.”

“Sounds good to me. Let me know whenever you’re ready.”

Cloud hums affirmatively, but his mind is only half there. The other half is already stuck on wondering what the next day will bring.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter bothered some people a little, and I don’t blame anyone at all for having a negative reaction to it, especially those of us who were raised as women. There’s a certain expectation to “perform” happiness 24/7 that is… incredibly unpleasant, and although that’s not what the chapter was originally meant to be about, it did kind of turn into that. To be completely honest, I debated deleting/skipping over the chapter entirely, because I figured that if parts of it rubbed _me_ the wrong way, they would definitely rub others the wrong way. I ended up leaving it in because there were a few parts that I had a lot of fun writing (mainly Jessie being… Jessie), but I may still go back and delete it eventually.
> 
> With that said, moving on to this chapter… Yikes. It was SO hard to find a good outfit, because I had such specific requirements for design (you’ll understand why when you get there) and such vague ideas for pattern. In the end, I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted (and believe me, I spent several hours trying), but [this](https://www.floryday.com/en/Elegant-Floral-None-Square-Neckline-A-line-Dress-m1042451?) is the best I could find (the blue/purple version). The other one was much easier to find a reference for, so [here's](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32803397721.html) that.
> 
> This is also the first of… two or three chapters that will use actual accessories from the game, because it was too fun of an idea to pass up. (If only the tiaras that you collect from Corneo’s stashes weren’t absolutely hideous lmao). For those who either haven’t played Remake themselves or don’t remember the item descriptions (and why would you, really?), I’ll include them at the end of each chapter that they're in.

When Cloud arrives at the Honeybee Inn the next day, he hesitates, wondering whether he’s supposed to head up to Andrea’s apartment or go about his usual routine until the other man finds him. Eventually, he settles on heading up to the changing room to at least set his sword out of the way. He freezes in the doorway when he finds Andrea himself inside. He’s talking to Cash, who gives Cloud a sly grin before making his excuses and disappearing out the door.

“Good evening, darling,” Andrea says, leaning back against Cash’s vanity.

“Evening,” Cloud echoes as he props his weapon against the wall. He can only stall for so long, though, and after a few seconds he turns to Andrea to ask, “So… How is this gonna work?”

“I’ve already gotten everything ready. All you have to do is get changed—it’s right at the front of the rack there—and then I’ll take care of the rest.” Cloud nods, grabbing the dress that Andrea pointed out, and resists the urge to laugh as the other man averts his eyes politely while he changes. “Do you like it? Be honest now,” Andrea says when he steps forward again. The blond stares into the mirror for a minute, gaze drifting over the black midi dress and the purple and blue roses creeping up from the hem. Eventually, he nods. “I’m glad. I put quite a lot of thought into that one.”

“Oh?”

“Mmhmm. Come sit down.” Cloud does so, still giving him a curious look, and Andrea chuckles. “Are you sure you want to know?”

“…Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because you might be embarrassed to hear some things about yourself,” he answers, smile softening. “I don’t mind telling you if you don’t mind hearing it, though.”

Cloud’s brows furrow, but he gives a hesitant nod, closing his eyes as Andrea sinks onto a chair and starts on his makeup.

“Alright then… The pattern and color are a compromise, because I know you love your black, but a bit of color never hurt anyone either.” Cloud jolts slightly as Andrea’s finger drags over his lips—lip balm, he realizes after one flustered second—and the other man chuckles. “I chose something with sleeves because you seem to get self-conscious about dresses that show off your shoulders.” He opens his eyes just in time to catch Andrea’s smile—gentle, but a little amused—as he continues, “And the fabric and length are because I’ve noticed that you enjoy skirts that float and twist when you spin.” The blond flushes, but apparently Andrea isn’t quite done yet. He gestures to the mirror and finishes, “And your makeup is because Cash was kind enough to give me some tips and said that you seem to prefer the softer, less dramatic looks, and that less is more.”

Cloud glances between Andrea and his reflection, not quite sure what to say. It’s a lot to take in all at once, and he’s every bit as embarrassed as Andrea had warned, but it’s also… touching, in a weird way. To be… _seen_ like that. Luckily, he doesn’t have to find words, because Andrea fills the silence again.

“I told you before, didn’t I? That I want you to _feel_ as gorgeous as you look? And that’s not going to happen if you’re uncomfortable or don’t like what you’re wearing.” He pauses, eying Cloud thoughtfully. “Would you like me to do your hair, too?”

He nods, watching in the mirror as Andrea bustles around him. It takes quite a bit longer than when one of the girls does it, but the end result—a loose bun, with a few curls left free to frame his face—is… different. In a good way, maybe. “Thanks,” he says quietly, moving to stand when Andrea settles, still and silent. The other man stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Still one last finishing touch,” he says with a smile. “Close your eyes again for me, sweetheart?” Cloud obeys the request with a silent nod and feels Andrea unhook his necklace, the slight weight disappearing to be replaced with… something much larger that forces his neck straight. His brows furrow in confusion, but he doesn’t look until Andrea says, “Okay, you can open your eyes now.” He does so and stares at the jewelry around his neck for a long minute. For something so big and elaborate, it looks strangely dainty, especially with the way the small red inset gem lays perfectly along his breastbone. It’s somehow both too much and just right. But…

“Really?” he asks, voice tinted with amusement. “You _do_ know this is made for—”

“Healing,” Andrea finishes with a chuckle. “Yes, I know. But it’s made for both physical _and mental_ healing. I just want to help you relax, honey. You’re always so tense, especially when you’re here, and I want you to be able to enjoy yourself.”

Right. He’d forgotten about that effect, never really had any reason to consider it when choosing gear for their group, but it’s obviously true. Cloud can already feel the tell-tale tingles of magic spreading outward from his neck, soothing him and doing their best to convince him that everything is alright. He fights against it, so used to _needing_ the adrenaline and the anxiety, but Andrea rests a hand on his shoulder and he forces himself to take a deep breath. He lets the magic run its course, staring at his own reflection, and after a few minutes it starts to look more natural. Like it’s not so rough around the edges. Like that beauty could actually belong to him and not to the layers of makeup and clothes and jewelry that they pile onto him. Cloud’s shoulders drop from the defensive posture he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding, and Andrea squeezes the one he’s holding gently.

“Feel better?” he asks as he pulls his chair up next to Cloud’s and sits down.

“Yeah, a little,” he answers, even though he knows it’s probably rhetorical.

“Tell me what you see?” Andrea asks, looking at Cloud’s reflection with a soft smile, but the blond immediately tenses again and shakes his head. “Alright, alright,” Andrea soothes, patting his thigh. “Baby steps. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Cloud lies.

“I wasn’t trying to make fun of you.”

“I know.”

“Good. I just hope you see what I do when I look at you.”

“And what’s that?” Cloud can’t help asking, his tone twisting the question into something bitter that he hadn’t intended. He might not be able to say it, but some part of him still wants to _hear_ it. Some part of him craves the compliments and flirtation that Andrea flings at him like it costs him nothing.

Andrea’s smile twists into a slight smirk and he leans closer, lowering his voice slightly as he meets Cloud’s eyes in the mirror. Cloud resists a shudder; that look makes him feel vulnerable, like the other man can read all of his thoughts and enjoys dragging them out into the open. “What I see…” He hums quietly, as if in thought, before continuing, “Is someone who moves with more grace than any dancer I’ve ever seen. Someone who is beautiful in body _and_ heart. Someone who isn’t used to loving themselves but is trying their very best… Someone who looks fantastic in anything, but _perfect_ with the right outfit and a careful touch to bring it out... Someone who absolutely _loves_ to be told how pretty they are and is turning the most delectable shade of pink right now.” Cloud’s eyes snap up to his, and Andrea gives an unapologetic laugh. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

“You’re an asshole,” Cloud mutters, but he can’t quite meet his own eyes in the mirror anymore. Privately, he knows that Andrea’s right, and that his whole face must be pink now, so he looks off to the side slightly instead. “…I’m ready now,” he says after a few seconds, moving to stand again, but Andrea catches his arm and looks at him with a suddenly serious expression.

“I meant every word of it, you know.”

Cloud stares back for a long moment before deflating with a sigh. “I know,” he admits, glancing away. “You might throw around a lot of flattery, but it’s never empty. I guess you just see more in people than the rest of us can.”

Andrea opens his mouth, then closes it with a quiet sigh of his own. After a minute, he says, “Maybe you should stay in here tonight.”

“What? But—” Cloud starts, brows furrowing. _Did I do something wrong?_ he wants to ask but doesn’t dare to.

The other man shakes his head and taps at the jewelry on Cloud’s neck. “The whole point of this was to put you at ease, let you relax… Remember? And that’s not going to happen if you’re up in front of the crowd before it even has a chance to set in. So maybe you should skip this one. You’ll come back stronger for it tomorrow.”

“So what, I’m just supposed to sit here by myself for the next hour?” he scoffs.

Andrea tilts his head, considering. “You could. Or you could sit in the audience for once. Or you could go up to my room and try on some of the new clothes that I haven’t had a chance to sort through and bring back down yet.”

“I—” Cloud stares at him, wide-eyed, but after a moment he nods, turning his gaze to his shoes. “Okay.”

He fully expects Andrea to tease him some more, to ask which option he was agreeing to, but instead he just feels another squeeze at his shoulder. “Okay,” Andrea echoes. “I’ll see you after the show, then.”

And then he’s gone, and Cloud is left alone to consider his terrible decision-making abilities. He considers leaving. He considers just sitting back down and waiting it out here. But eventually, he forces himself to move, one foot in front of the other, out the door and up the stairs to Andrea’s apartment. His eyes narrow when he finds it unlocked, and he realizes that Andrea must have planned this from the start. He sighs quietly and lets himself in, heading down the hall to the bedroom. It feels a bit wrong to go inside when the owner isn’t even there, but he does have permission.

It only takes a quick glance around the room to find the clothes that Andrea mentioned. They’re stacked on the bed in one neat pile, and Cloud starts picking through them, curious and strangely nervous. After a few minutes, he realizes that it’s going to be impossible to make any decisions without trying them on. Since he’s got too much time on his hands anyways, he decides to just go through all of them.

* * *

It takes longer than Cloud expects, between struggling to get in and out of outfits without getting them caught on his hair or the carcanet and actually figuring out his opinion on each. He’s just finished changing into a sheer black blouse with long sleeves and a red skirt and is trying to decide what he thinks of it when there’s a knock on the door. “Yeah,” he calls, voice coming out much quieter than he’d meant it to. The door opens, distorting and obscuring Cloud’s reflection until it closes again. He doesn’t look away from the mirror as Andrea observes the clothes scattered all over his bed and then comes to stand at Cloud’s side. “Did you like any of them?” he asks. Cloud nods. “Which ones?”

He points at the one pile that’s remained mostly intact. “Those,” he says, throat dry, and forces himself to meet Andrea’s eyes. It’s not nearly as difficult as he’d expected. The neckpiece must be doing its job. He almost manages a smile.

Andrea glances at the pile and nods. “Then you should keep them.” The fact that Cloud wants to argue must show on his face, because he just holds up a finger. “There are already more than enough down in the dressing room for shows, and we can always get more if we need to.” He smiles like they have a secret and adds, “Besides, Sophia’s the only one so far who knows I got these, so they won’t be missed.”

Cloud stares past Andrea at the clothes for a long moment and swallows. “Are you sure?” Andrea just nods, and his heart skips a beat or two. “…Thanks,” he says, even though it’s not enough, could never be enough.

“No need to thank me. Seeing you looking so happy is reward enough.” Confused, Cloud glances back at his reflection again; he’s not even smiling. Andrea laughs lightly. “You’re not as hard to read as you think, Cloud. I can see it loud and clear in those bright eyes of yours.” He’s spared from having to come up with a reply when Andrea steps up behind him. “So what do you think of this one? It looks lovely on you,” he says, hands settling on Cloud’s waist as he looks over his shoulder to the mirror.

Cloud forgets how to breathe for a moment, has to remind himself not to lean back into him. “…I like it,” he decides, but his head is spinning a little and he's not even sure whether he _actually_ likes the outfit, or just Andrea's reaction to it.

Andrea rewards him with a grin, squeezing slightly before dropping his hands and stepping out of his space. The smile drops after a few seconds, and Andrea bites his lip before speaking. “I haven’t wanted to bring this up for fear of embarrassing you in public, but while you’re here and relatively calm, I may as well.” Cloud’s eyes dart to him for a moment, curious and cautious. “I was wondering if you’d like more, to complete these looks.” The blonde’s brows furrow in confusion, so Andrea clarifies hesitantly, “Socks and stockings and underwear, my dear.”

Cloud watches the blush spread from his reflection’s cheeks, down down down over his neck and what’s visible of his chest, some of the false calm from the carcanet draining away. His neck is suddenly so tight that it feels like the bones and muscles are grinding together when he moves his head. He forces himself to nod anyways, knowing that if he lets the chance slip by, then his own stubbornness will mean that there is never another.

Andrea smiles at him in the mirror, something soft and strangely proud. “Alright then. I’ll do my best to find things that you’ll like.”

“You always do,” Cloud says, aiming for wry. It comes out as a barely audible confession instead.

“At least I’m doing _something_ right, then,” Andrea replies quietly. He lets out a short sigh. “I shouldn’t have brought it up now; you’re supposed to be relaxing, after all. Come on, darling. Want to continue the book we were reading last time?”

“…Sure,” he agrees hesitantly. “Just gimme a minute to get changed first.”

“Of course, dear.” Andrea pauses as he walks past, hovering for a moment before squeezing Cloud’s arm and continuing out the door.

Cloud neatens the scattered clothes and changes back into the dress that Andrea had chosen for him at the beginning of the evening. Then he takes a deep breath and heads out. Andrea glances up and catches his eye, motioning for the blond to join him, and Cloud manages a small but real smile as he does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Healing carcanet effect: Increases the effectiveness of healing items, spells, and abilities.  
> Description: An elaborate neckpiece that imparts peace of mind to the wearer.
> 
> Sooo I've read almost every fic that's popped up for this pairing so far, and... I think at this point it's safe to say that most of us are here because we agree that Cloud has at least a tiny bit of a Thing (sexual or not) for praise and deserves to have someone who will _give_ him that praise, right? XD


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be honest, I rewrote some parts of this chapter like three times and am still not happy with them. As a whole, though, it was pretty fun to write!

“This _has_ to end.”

“Huh?” Cloud blinks at Aerith, surprised by her unusually serious tone. It breaks quickly, though, her next words sounding like she’s about to snap.

“You! And Andi! Just… You know!” She makes some kind of strange gesture, hands twisting in the air before rising to tug at her hair.

“I… don’t, actually. What the hell was that supposed to mean?”

Aerith groans loudly, spreading her hands by her sides as she stomps a few steps ahead of him. “It didn’t _mean_ anything; I was just strangling the air so I wouldn’t strangle _you_!”

That shocks a slightly disturbed laugh out of Cloud. “That seems… excessive.”

“Not at this point, it’s not! I have been watching and waiting and _hoping_ that you two would get your shit together for too long! You’re obviously _very_ into each other, so please just _do_ something about it already! I was hoping that Andrea would make a move because I know you’re too shy to”—she ignores his objecting grunt and continues ranting—“But for whatever reason he _hasn_ _’t_ , so _please_! For _all_ of our sakes, just… _flirt_ with the man or something! That’s all! Just do _something_ to let him know that it’s mutual!”

Cloud tries to keep a straight face, he really does. He can’t restrain a laugh in the face of Aerith’s melodramatic rage, though. “Why are you so invested in this, anyway?”

“Because the tension is _killing_ me!” she whines. Slowly, her glare transforms into a pleading pout, and when that doesn’t work, she drops the act entirely with a frustrated sigh. “And because I want you to be happy! What are you so afraid of, Cloud?”

“I’m not… afraid.” It’s a half-truth; afraid isn’t quite the right word for why he’s holding back, but he isn’t sure what _is_.

“Then why not make a move?”

“Look, I thought I was straight until a couple of months ago.” It’s an excuse and he knows it; it’s not like it’s bothered him that much up until this point, after all (much to his own surprise).

Aerith snorts; she knows it's just an excuse, too. “Yeah, so? So did I!” she says, shrugging like it doesn’t matter.

That immediately pulls his attention away from the path their conversation was headed down, and he blinks at her in surprise. “What? Are you interested in—” Cloud stops abruptly, realizing that he’s making baseless assumptions, but she just grins at him.

“Tifa? Yep!” Aerith answers with no hesitation. She pauses, tapping at her lips thoughtfully. “Actually, I’m interested in a few different people, but… Well, one of them already has his eyes set on someone else,” she says with a wink. Her grin doesn’t fade, but Cloud still looks away guiltily. Despite what everyone seems to think, he’s not _completely_ blind, and maybe, in a different life… Before he can slip too deep into those thoughts, she bumps into his side playfully. “Hey, don’t look so glum! I’m just teasing. The heart wants what it wants and all that.” Aerith’s smile takes on a bittersweet edge, her eyes somewhere far away, and he wonders who she’s thinking of. It only lasts for a minute though, and then she’s back in the present. Cloud pretends not to notice the way her voice wavers when she grabs onto his arm and continues babbling. “And what _my_ heart wants most of all is for _you_ to be happy and for _me_ to get to be by your side—as a friend.”

“You are,” Cloud manages past the lump in his throat. _You_ _’re my best friend._ The words sound stupid even in his head, meaningless, but Aerith must be doing her mind-reading thing again, because her smile brightens and she leans her head on his shoulder, falling into a comfortable silence for the rest of the walk back.

* * *

Aerith doesn’t let the subject drop for long. By the next morning, she’s back to poking and prodding at him. “He’s _obviously_ interested! You just have to let him know that you are, too!” she insists as Cloud drops his head to the table with a groan. He hears Barret laugh at one of the other tables and turns his head just enough to send him a death glare out of one eye. Barret just laughs harder.

“Aren’t you being kind of hypocritical here?” Cloud asks Aerith, being as vague as possible. Although it seems like she really wouldn’t care, he’s not going to risk outing her in a room full of their friends.

“Not at all!” When he gives her a skeptical look, she winks and presses a finger to her lips like she’s telling him a secret. “I’m working on it! I just think that Andrea requires a more direct approach than certain other people might. Soo _,_ like I said, you have to show him that you’re into him!”

Cloud sighs and sits upright again. Obviously she isn’t going to let this go anytime soon. “And how would you suggest I do that?” he asks tiredly, already fairly certain that he won’t take whatever advice she gives.

“I don’t know!” Aerith says, laughing. “What do you _want_ to do?” He levels her with an unamused look; if he had a plan, they wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place. “Okay, okay! Hmm… Well, how does Andrea show _you_ that he’s interested?”

“I don’t even think he _is_!” Cloud argues, exasperated. Even as he says it, though, he isn’t so sure. “I think that’s just… the way he is.”

“Maybe,” she says doubtfully, “But I haven’t seen him flirt like that with anyone else. So let’s just pretend I’m right for now, because you _actually_ getting worked up about this means you really care about it, and you’ll never know unless you go for it. _So_. Answer the question already, you goose!”

Cloud rubs his hands over his face with another sigh, but gives it some actual thought. How does Andrea flirt? A lot of answers spring to mind faster than he’d have expected, most of which he can’t voice. Some he doesn’t have the right words for, some are private moments that he wants to hold onto for himself, and some are just too embarrassing to talk about. Eventually he settles on, “Flattery. More compliments than I know how to handle. And… physical contact.” More physical contact than he knows how to handle, too; he’s not used to it, and with both Andrea and Aerith suddenly entering his life at the same time, it can be overwhelming sometimes.

Aerith’s lips twitch like she’s trying not to laugh, but she holds it back and nods encouragingly. “Okay, then start there!” Cloud tries to imagine saying half the shit that Andrea says to him and is immediately mortified. It must show on his face, because Aerith says, “You can try something else if you have any better ideas, but you have to start _somewhere_!”

“Aww, Cloud doesn’t know how to flirt?” Jessie asks, appearing out of nowhere to stand over them. She ruffles his hair, ignoring his attempts to smack her hand away, and teases, “That’s okay! We haven’t gotten to that part of our lessons yet.”

Cloud freezes for a moment before turning to her, eyes narrowed. “‘Yet?’”

“Yep! It’s an essential part of human interaction, Cloud,” she lectures, trying to sound serious, but the smirk lingers on her lips.

“Are you trying to say I’m not human?”

Jessie shrugs. “I _do_ wonder sometimes…” She trails off with a laugh and Cloud turns away again, wondering how he ended up saddling himself with a bunch of sadistic women as his closest friends. From the round table, Biggs catches his eye and offers a sympathetic smile and a shrug. “So, flattery and physical contact, huh? Something like this?” Jessie steps even closer, and for a moment Cloud tenses, wondering if she’s going to kiss his cheek again or something. Instead, she leans down to sling an arm around Aerith’s shoulders, pulling her close and staring at the side of her face. Aerith’s breath escapes her in a giggle, but she does her best to keep a straight face, staring directly at Cloud. Lowering her voice comically, Jessie says, “Hey baby, you’re looking hot tonight. Wanna blow this joint and come back to my place?”

As soon as the words are out of her mouth, she presses a theatrically loud kiss to Aerith’s cheek, then drops her arm as they both fall into helpless laughter. Cloud raises an eyebrow, a little amused, _more_ than a little worried for their sanity (but that’s nothing new), and mostly just hoping they’ve forgotten about the original point of this conversation.

Of course, he could never be that lucky. “See?” Aerith says, still giggling and leaning against Jessie for support. “Nothing to it!”

“…Would that _actually_ work on you?” he asks flatly.

She gives a slightly guilty-sounding chuckle. “Okay, no, not really. But I bet you can do way better than that if you put your mind to it!” Her expression turns thoughtful and she asks, “When’s the next night that you won’t be performing?”

He pauses, mentally going over his schedule before he answers, “Wednesday… Why?”

Aerith’s wearing a grin that always promises either terrible or amazing things for Cloud, and he never knows which until it’s too late. “That’ll be the perfect opportunity!”

* * *

“Everything alright, honey?” Andrea asks when he spots them in the lobby. Cloud flinches slightly. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight…”

“Wasn’t expecting to be here, either,” he replies, glaring at Aerith out of the corner of his eye. She gives him a pointed look, and he sighs quietly. “Just part of the audience today.”

The other man blinks in surprise, a smile slowly blooming on his face. “Well then, I suppose I’ll have to make it a show to remember, won’t I?” He pauses, eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he seems to drift into his own world. After a minute, he snaps out of it enough to wave them towards the doors and say, “You’re table’s reserved as always, my dears. Enjoy yourselves tonight, and I’ll see you after the show.”

“Thanks, Andi!” Aerith chirps. Cloud just nods and follows her inside. As they take their seats, she sighs. “What was that?”

“What was what? I didn’t do anything!” he says defensively.

“Exactly! You _didn_ _’t do anything!_ ” she says with a roll of her eyes. “We had a plan!”

“…We did?” Cloud asks, eyebrows raised skeptically.

“Well, sort of!” she says with an awkward chuckle. “What we talked about the other day! I assumed you got the point.”

“…Right. That.” He grimaces. “Not happening.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s stupid!”

“Do you realize that you sound like—”

“You _both_ sound like you’re ten years old,” Pyra cuts in, leaning on the back of the booth between them. “I came to see what all the fuss was about, but whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t you two bickering like a couple of kids. What the heck are you arguing about, anyways?”

“Nothing,” Cloud says.

Aerith glares at him and counters, “Cloud’s too scared to give someone a couple of simple compliments.”

“…Ah. I think I get it,” Pyra says with a giggle.

She straightens up just as Manda appears behind her, wrapping her arms around Pyra’s waist and resting her chin on her shoulder. “Get what?” she asks curiously.

“ _Nothing,_ ” Cloud repeats, scrubbing a hand over his face. “For Shiva’s sake—”

“Aerith’s mad at Cloud because he doesn’t know how to flirt,” Pyra answers with a teasing grin.

“…Is that supposed to be news?” Manda asks, gaze darting between all three of them. “I thought we all knew by now that those two are hopeless.”

“Yes, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to change! I know that if Cloud would just _try_ —”

“Fine!” he interrupts loudly. “If I do this and nothing changes, will you let it go?”

“Pinky promise,” Aerith says, looking deathly serious as she holds her hand up. When Cloud rolls his eyes and doesn’t move, she picks his hand up herself to hook their fingers together.

Manda giggles. “Well, good luck with that, you two.” She tilts her head to look up at Pyra and says, “Come on, cutie, we should leave them to their plotting and go finish getting ready.”

“’Kay,” Pyra agrees, patting Manda’s hand as she pulls away. She follows the blonde, turning around at the doors to call back to Cloud, “I guarantee Andi will be giving it his all with you watching, so you better give it _your_ all, too!”

Aerith laughs when Cloud’s only response is a quiet groan of, “What does that even _mean_? Give _what_ my all?”

* * *

It’s a bit of a shock once it really sinks in that he’s never just _watched_ Andrea dance. Everything that Cloud recognizes is still there—the ever-present smirk, the fluidity of his motions, the absolute love for what he does—but there are other things that he only sees with distance—the subtle way he directs his Honeygirls and boys, his love of floor moves, his command of the spotlight, and his apparent obsession with his own ass (which is honestly more amusing than attractive).

A part of him itches to join them onstage, a conditioned reaction, but Cloud forces himself to sit back and just take it all in from the sidelines. When Andrea disappears backstage halfway through the performance and Lori and Justine take over, he can’t help the small, proud smile that tugs at his lips. It’s the first time he’s really gotten a chance to watch Lori in her element, to see that spark he sometimes catches glimpses of come to life, and Justine is clearly happier to help her shine than to draw attention to herself. Cash and Manda take center-stage for a song too, and somehow it’s not at all surprising to see that they’re completely in sync with each other throughout the sassy, high-energy number. Andrea and several others who have scattered throughout the night return for the finale, a provocative dance that includes a chaotic number of partner changes and reminds Cloud that the kinds of dances that Andrea plans for him here are the exception rather than the rule.

They take their final bow, sweaty and grinning, and to Cloud’s surprise, Andrea hops off the stage when the lights go off instead of heading for the back. “What did you think, honey?” he asks, cheerfully ignoring the murmurs from the crowd as he saunters over to their table.

Andrea’s looking at Cloud, but he freezes up completely, so Aerith jumps in to save him as usual. “It was amazing, Andi!” she says, clapping a little. “It looked really fun and sexy!”

“Yeah,” Cloud agrees, unsticking his tongue from the roof of his mouth. “It was…” _Good._ He tries to come up with something better, something corny enough that Andrea might spew it at him after one of their dances together. _“Breathtaking_.”

He feels ridiculous the moment the word leaves his lips. It sounds completely unnatural; stuff like that doesn’t flow from his mouth the way it does from Andrea’s. He shoots Aerith a half-hearted glare, because this stupid plan was her idea in the first place, but she doesn’t even notice, too busy watching Andrea with a rapidly growing grin. He follows her gaze to find the other man looking shell-shocked, eyes wide and fist pressed to his mouth, and _Oh,_ “That’s a gorgeous shade of red.” Cloud lets the words fall from his mouth even as he feels his own blush growing.

Andrea makes a strangled sound and tries to cover it by clearing his throat. “Ah, well…” He stares at Cloud for a few moments longer before dropping his hand and saying, “I’m glad you two enjoyed the show. I, ah… need to go get changed, but you’re of course welcome to stay if you’d like.”

Cloud watches with a smirk as Andrea makes his escape. He can feel Aerith’s gaze burning into him, and after a minute he admits, “I’m starting to get why he finds that so entertaining.”

Aerith laughs. “Told ya so,” she teases quietly. She watches him for a minute, biting her lip, before standing. “You should stay. I think I can manage to get home in one piece on my own, just this once.”

“Be careful,” he says automatically.

She rolls her eyes, but her smile is soft when she says, “I will. Have a good night, Cloud.”

“You too. Tell Elmyra I said hi.”

“You know, sometimes I wonder if you’d rather be hanging out with my mom than me,” Aerith teases, giggling.

“Didn’t you know? We hang out all the time when you’re not around,” Cloud jokes. Well, _mostly_ jokes, anyways, but it is true that he’s had quite a few conversations with Elmyra while waiting for Aerith before.

Aerith clasps a hand over her chest. “You’re breaking my heart here, Cloud,” she says, but it comes out more tired than offended or teasing.

He rests a hand on her shoulder as he stands, leaning down slightly to meet her eyes. “Go get some sleep,” he says seriously.

“Will do,” Aerith says with a nod. “Night, Cloud.”

“Night,” he echoes, following her out the doors and splitting with a wave when they reach the stairs. As Cloud makes his way up, his nerves and reservations start to return; it may have been satisfying to turn the tables and see Andrea thrown off his game for a minute, but that still doesn’t mean that any of this comes naturally to him or that it isn’t embarrassing. Or that he has any plan here at all, he realizes as he knocks on the other man’s door.

Andrea lets him in with a smile. He’s clearly gathered his composure again, which… actually irks Cloud a little. He resolves to fix that as quickly as possible. “I’m happy you decided to stick around, darling,” Andrea says as Cloud slips his boots off by the door. “So, what was it like to see the show from the other side?”

“It was… fun,” he answers honestly, purposefully brushing against Andrea as he passes. “Nice to be able to actually pay attention to what everyone else was doing for once.”

“Glad you enjoyed yourself,” the other man replies, heading for the kitchen. “I worked up quite an appetite and was just about to make a late dinner. Want some?”

Cloud follows, catching Andrea’s hand and gently pulling it away as he reaches to open the fridge. “Can I?” Andrea’s brows furrow, so he explains, “You cooked last time. ‘s only fair.”

“…If you want,” he answers eventually, slowly pulling out of Cloud’s grip to sit down on one of the stools. The blond hums affirmatively and starts rummaging through the fridge and cupboards for ingredients. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

Cloud glances at him over his shoulder as he stretches for some spices. “I… couldn’t, for a long time,” he admits. “But I _do_ live alone. Gotta be able to feed myself, right? And I help out at Seventh Heaven sometimes when it gets busy.”

“Seventh Heaven?” Andrea asks curiously.

He drops back down and turns to face him, staring blankly for a moment. “Have I not told you about that before?” Andrea shakes his head, and Cloud blinks in surprise before shrugging. “That’s Tifa’s bar. More of a restaurant during the day, though.”

“Hmm… I had no idea dear Tifa owned her own business.”

“Yep,” Cloud says as he turns away again, voice tinted with pride. “Worked her ass off for it, too.”

“You’ll have to show me one of these days.”

“…Sure.” They fall silent for a bit while Cloud cooks—nothing too fancy, just some pasta and a simple sauce, but it’s one of the few recipes he’s perfected over time. An idea comes to mind as he’s nearly finished, and Cloud smirks to himself, doing his best to hide it when he turns around with a spoonful of the sauce. “Think this is enough garlic?” he asks, aiming for casual as he leans across the island and holds the spoon up near Andrea’s mouth. Andrea stares at it in surprise for a few moments before leaning forward to taste it. He looks up at the blond through his lashes as he slowly pulls back, licking his lips, and Cloud has to resist the urge to do something stupid. (A voice in the back of his head tells him that his plan backfired spectacularly. He ignores it.)

“Perfect,” Andrea purrs.

Cloud freezes for a moment, not sure where to go from there, then nods jerkily and turns away to finish the meal. “Thanks,” he manages after a few seconds. He dishes them up and they eat quietly, but he catches Andrea sneaking glances out of the corner of his eye, probably wondering what he’ll do next. Cloud wishes _he_ knew.

When they finish eating and the blond still hasn’t made any further moves, Andrea starts to settle. He washes their plates and leads Cloud into the living room, holding up the book they’ve been reading questioningly. Cloud nods and settles onto the couch, facing the other man. A smile slowly takes over his face as Andrea reads, making him jolt slightly when he glances up from the book. “…What?” he asks cautiously.

Cloud shrugs. “Nothing, just… your voice.” He stops there, can’t bring himself to say anything more because _Seriously, how does anyone do this without wanting to die of embarrassment?_

It’s apparently enough to get the point across, though, because Andrea’s eyes narrow. “What exactly are you playing at tonight, honey?” he asks, voice slightly accusatory, but his smile says he doesn’t mind the game in the slightest.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cloud says, smirking and not even _attempting_ to sound convincing.

That startles a laugh out of Andrea, who swings his feet off the couch so he can slide closer. “Well then, how am I supposed to play along if I don’t know what your end goal is?” he asks, voice dipping lower as his hand comes up to cradle the blond’s face.

Cloud leans into the touch, eyes fluttering shut even as his heart rate picks up at the realization that Andrea’s saying he _wants_ to play along. “I don’t know what it is, either,” he finds himself murmuring, on the edge of too honest. Andrea pulls his hand away, and Cloud opens his eyes again, confused by the fragile smile the other man puts up.

“Then maybe you should figure that out, darling… before you do something you’ll regret.”

Cloud’s brows furrow, and he bites his lip hard, trying to focus on that pain rather than the unexpectedly sharp ache in his chest. He opens his mouth to argue, but nothing comes out. After a few long moments, he slowly nods and gets to his feet. It feels like he’s moving in slow motion as he slips his shoes back on and leaves without another word, still wondering what the hell just happened.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that was originally going to be split into two, but honestly I was just too eager to get the second half out. I wrote most of it on the same day that I posted the very first chapter of this fic, because I dreamt it up after falling asleep with Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” stuck in my head, and I have been dying to share it with you all ever since. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve done an actual songfic (like, with the lyrics included and everything), but I tried not to follow it word for word because I know from previous experience that that’s boring for me to write and even more boring for you to read. Also, I stole Rihanna’s outfit from the music video for Cloud in the second half of this chapter XD;;
> 
> For his outfit in the first half, I started with a combo of [these](https://lookbook.nu/look/6684942-Msfairy-Black-Mesh-Panel-Skater-Dress-Bless-This-Mesh) [two](https://lookbook.nu/look/8327995-Virgos-Lounge-Mini-Dress-Lets-Dance) dresses and went from there. The first half also features a very brief cameo by a character who I personally absolutely adore XD
> 
> This is also the point where I finally get to share my playlist for this fic with you guys, so yay! [Here's](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/725ZfNuIDtZrr7uxN6r4Dc?si=DqmOT7iTQfKJSzrQD9YeKQ) a link to that, but it is unfinished; I’ll be adding more songs as we get further into the fic, and as I find more. Don’t worry too much if some songs on the list don’t seem to make sense. It’s a combination of actually relevant songs (“Don’t Stop the Music,” obviously), ones that inspired a certain line or feeling (“Come Alive”), ones that I just listened to a lot while writing (“Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene”), and ones that are honestly just kind of crack (“Burning Up,” which was literally only added because I was making fun of myself for how much I write Cloud blushing in this fic).

“Sooo?” Aerith drawls, eager but hushed as she crawls next to Cloud to peer at him. He’s sitting on the rocks, waiting for her to finish picking some more flowers for the Leaf House, but her attention obviously isn’t on what she’s doing. “How’d it go last night?”

“…Stop,” he says quietly. Whatever she sees on his face is enough to make her shut up.

“ _O-oh_ … okay,” she says with a weak smile. “I guess I did promise, huh?”

“Mmhmm…”

Aerith goes back to her flower-picking, but he can feel her stealing glances at him every few seconds. He’d probably feel bad about worrying her if his mind wasn’t stuck playing the last few minutes of the previous night on repeat, trying to figure out what exactly happened. _Twice_ now it’s seemed like Andrea was interested, only to push him away at the last second. It’s driving him insane, because it doesn’t make any sense.

(Except that it absolutely does. _Then maybe you should figure that out, darling,_ keeps looping through his head, and he’s not sure whether Andrea misunderstood or whether he’s just deluding himself by thinking that he’s sure about what he wants. Maybe that’s the whole point—that he isn’t even sure about being sure.)

Aerith is unusually quiet all day, only a fraction of her sunny smile shining through when they drop off the flowers at the orphanage and bring some herbs to the doctor. As nightfall approaches and they return to her house, she starts fidgeting, opening her mouth and closing it again several times over the course of a few minutes, as if she can’t quite figure out how to say what she wants to. Eventually, she sits down next to him with a sigh and grabs his hand before blurting out quietly, “Are you still going tonight?”

Cloud flinches. He’s been avoiding asking himself that question all day. After a few moments, though, he nods. “Not gonna ditch everyone because of my personal shit,” he mutters. It’s the closest he’s gotten to telling her what happened, but of course, she only looks _more_ curious and concerned.

“…’Kay. Want me to come, or no?” He hesitates again but nods, and Aerith squeezes his hand, repeating, “’Kay.”

* * *

Aerith stands in front of Cloud as they enter the Honeybee Inn, as if she’s expecting to need to be a physical shield for him. He’d laugh if it didn’t make him wonder just _how_ rough he seems, for her to be ready to protect him from _Andrea_ of all people.

“…Good evening, Cloud, Aerith,” Sophia says, and for a moment Cloud misses Alton’s insistent “Mr. Cloud”s, because Sophia is apparently downright _scary_ when she wants to be. The look she gives him is icy, and when Aerith steps forward they have a long stare-off. He’s not sure if they’re trying to intimidate each other or have a silent conversation, but eventually they both turn away, looking slightly less murderous than before.

Aerith sighs. “You alright to head up on your own?” she asks quietly.

“I’m not a kid, Aerith.” She just keeps staring at him, brows furrowed. Cloud huffs out a tired laugh and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, hoping he sounds reassuring when he says, “I’ll be fine.”

She hesitates a moment longer before nodding and squeezing his hand again. “Okay. You know where I’ll be if you need anything.”

“Stop acting like it’s the end of the world.”

“Doesn’t have to be the end of the world for you to be allowed to be upset,” Aerith says, giving him a meaningful look. He nods, and she lingers briefly before taking a deep breath and disappearing through the doors.

Cloud heads up to the dressing room, grateful when Cash doesn’t say anything or try to rush him through getting ready. He’s antsy, though, glancing to the door over and over again as if waiting for something. When there’s a knock, he glances over to make sure the blond is decent (he’s stalling, hasn’t even _started_ getting changed even though it’s been several minutes) before calling, “Come in!”

“Delivery for Mr. Strife!” Manda says as she peeks her head inside.

Cassius grins like he already knows what’s coming but keeps his lips zipped when Cloud gives him a questioning look. “What is it?” Cloud asks Manda instead.

She steps inside, hands behind her back, and closes the door behind her. He can see bits of black fabric peeking out around her body—another dress, obviously, but it can’t be that simple with the other two grinning wickedly at him like they are. “Looks like you’re our new Queen Bee, Cloud!” Manda says as she makes the grand reveal. Her expression as he takes it in somehow manages to convey smug amusement and pride at the same time.

The dress is gorgeous, but clearly follows a certain theme that he’d been relieved to mostly avoid up until this point. It’s knee-length and black, with intricate gold-beaded patterns covering the chest and short sleeves. Below that point, there’s mesh covering a few linear cutouts over the stomach, and diagonal gold lines along the hem that perfectly match Andrea’s signature outfit. A gold chain necklace and a transparent black robe with a large fur collar are wrapped around the hanger with it. Cloud swallows thickly as he stands to examine it. He knows they’re waiting for his response, for some snarky comment, but the only thing he can even think to complain about is… “Can I cut off that fur?”

“No, you _cannot_!” Manda says, trying for a glare and failing. “The whole point is that you’ll match, jerk!” She walks closer and shoves the outfit in his face. “Now get dressed! Andi wanted to give you this a lot sooner, but… Well, with all the beading, it took longer than usual to alter. It finally arrived today, though, and Cash and I are the only ones who know. Don’t you think it’ll be a great surprise for Andi?”

Cloud grimaces. “Not so sure about that,” he mutters, making both of them frown. “He might regret it, actually.”

“…What happened?” Manda asks hesitantly. “I thought that maybe you two would finally make some progress with what Aerith was saying yesterday…”

He’s quiet for a long moment before shrugging. “Dunno.”

“…Cloud?” Cash asks, coming to stand at his side. His look of concern matches the one that Aerith’s been wearing all day.

The blond takes a deep breath and lets it out on a long sigh. Eventually, he confesses, “I don’t know whether it’ll change anything in the long run or not, but apparently Andrea believes that I need to think about some things.” He pauses, shrugging. “So I’m thinking.”

Manda’s silent for a minute before she steps forward and presses the hanger into his hand, gently curling his fingers around it. “I promise you he’s not gonna regret his choice,” she whispers. “Do all the thinking you need to, but… just try? Please?”

“…Okay.”

“Good,” she says with a small smile. Backing towards the door, she says more loudly, “Now hurry up and get ready. I better not miss you onstage!”

“You won’t,” Cloud promises, huffing out a laugh. He gets changed and sits down with Cash, who works quickly and quietly. “What, no lecture from you, too?” he jokes.

Cassius frowns. “I want you two to get together as much as anyone else around here does, but I don’t know the situation. It’s not my place to say anything. All I know is that you’re upset, and Andi probably is too, and you’re both my friends and I want you both to be happy. So I’m gonna stay out of it and trust that you’ll work out… _whatever_ _’s_ happening like adults.”

“…Thanks.”

Cash gives him a small smile, leaning back as he finishes and patting Cloud’s knee. “You’re welcome. I will say this, though: get out there and show him what he’ll be missing if he lets you slip away.”

For some inexplicable reason, _that_ stings in a way that nothing else anyone’s said has. Cloud nods and heads back to his vanity, hesitating for a long minute before putting on the earrings and necklace. Then he slips on a pair of black and gold heels and makes his way downstairs to wait quietly backstage until his cue.

Andrea’s reaction when he sees the dress is… encouraging. Surprise, and then a grin and a quiet, “You look every bit as exquisite as I imagined.” He acts exactly the same as always, and Cloud feels like he might get whiplash from all the mixed signals. It’s difficult to put his all into the performance, but Cash’s words echo through his head and he does his best anyways.

Afterwards, Andrea catches him backstage. “Please don’t give me that look, Cloud,” he says, smile dropping away. He pauses, choosing his next words carefully and speaking slowly. “What I said last night…” He glances around to make sure they’re alone before continuing, “Please don’t think that was a rejection. I only want you to be sure of what it is that you want—or don’t want. I’m more than willing to wait until you are. But—”

He cuts himself off abruptly, and Cloud frowns. “…But what?” he asks hesitantly.

Andrea glances away, silent for a long moment. When he looks back, it’s with a surprisingly vulnerable expression. “But please don’t string me along while you figure it out.”

Cloud’s eyes widen in shock, the words hitting him like a punch to the gut. “I—I wasn’t—”

“I know you’d never do it intentionally, dear… but as long as you’re unsure, that’s what it feels like.” His lips quirk in bitter amusement. “Like you’re constantly dancing in and out of my reach with no intention of staying there.”

Cloud can’t even reply, breath stolen away by the shock of _hurt_ —that Andrea would _believe_ that, much less _say_ it, stings.

“Have a good night, darling. I’ll see you in a few days,” Andrea says, still with that same bitter smile. And then he’s gone.

Cloud sinks down to sit on a nearby box, the world feeling far away. Justine finds him there a few minutes later. She waves a hand in front of his face, ducking into his line of sight with a frown when he doesn’t respond. “…Cloud?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Look, I know we aren’t exactly the best of friends, but you don’t have to lie to me.”

“Mm.”

“…You look like someone just slapped you in the face.”

That draws Cloud out of his daze a bit, and he laughs. “Kinda feels like it, too.”

“I’m guessing you don’t wanna tell me what happened.”

“Nope.”

“…Okay,” she says, taking a seat behind him on the box and settling back against the wall.

“…What are you doing?”

“Waiting ‘til you’re ready to talk. Doesn’t have to be to me. I can go get Aerith or one of the others if you want. But I’m not gonna leave you here alone.” Cloud nods, and they sit in silence for a long time.

“…Thanks,” he says eventually, turning so they’re sitting side-by-side.

Justine just nods and asks, “You ready to talk now?”

“Not really.”

“But you’re going to anyways, right?”

“…Yeah.” And it spills out— _all_ of it. Somehow, it’s so much easier to say to her _because_ they aren’t all that close. She stays silent until he runs out of words, watching him with no judgment or emotions on her face and just nodding occasionally to show that she’s still listening.

“…You know what I think?” she asks, once she’s certain Cloud is done talking.

“What?” he asks, not really wanting to know.

“I think that doesn’t sound like he’s mad at you at all, or thinks badly of you, or anything like that. I think it sounds like he’s afraid of getting hurt—just like you are. He wants you to be sure about what you want… _Are_ you?”

Cloud hesitates, because the whole goddamn day has made him second-guess himself, but eventually he answers, “Yeah.”

Justine shrugs and says simply, “Then show ‘im that!”

He huffs out a laugh. “Like it’s that easy, huh?”

“It _is_!” she insists with an emphatic nod. “If that’s all he’s waiting for, then just fucking _go for it!_ ”

“Heh. I guess you’re right,” Cloud says, standing up slowly. “…Thanks, Justine.”

“No problem,” she says, following his lead and stretching as she stands. “So what’re you gonna do now?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll keep your advice in mind,” he answers, laughing when she rolls her eyes. “Really, I will.”

“You better.” She glances at her watch and scowls. “I’ve got a client soon, so I’ve gotta go. You want me to bring Aerith back here?”

“No, I think I’m alright.”

“Okay. Have a good night, Cloud. Don’t you forget about our talk!”

“I won’t. Goodnight.” Justine takes off down the hall, and eventually he follows her, heading out to where Aerith is waiting for him.

She frowns worriedly when she spots him. “Are you okay? You were gone a really long time…”

“Yeah, I’m alright,” he says, and it feels mostly true. “Just had to get some sense talked into me.”

“Okay…” Aerith says, lips quirking in a confused smile, but she doesn’t ask.

“You ready to head home?”

“Mmhmm.”

They make it about twenty feet out the door before an obnoxiously familiar voice calls from behind them, “Bro!” Cloud turns around, and Johnny pauses, eyes narrowing thoughtfully before he corrects, “…Siiisss…?”

“ _Neither!_ ” Cloud snaps emphatically. “Stop calling me that!” He glances down at the abrupt realization that he forgot to change. Ignoring Johnny to the best of his ability, he tells Aerith, “Wait here, okay? I gotta take this back.” She nods, and he turns around, annoyed to realize that the other man is following him.

“Oh my god, bro!” Johnny shouts excitedly as he realizes where they’re going. “You work at the Honeybee Inn?! Why didn’t you ever tell me? I thought we were friends!”

“We’re not,” Cloud replies flatly. He pauses on the stairs and warns, “ _Don_ _’t_ try to follow me up. Security will kick you out if you do.” It’s a lie; as far as he knows, there isn’t any real security team here. Andrea and a few of the bees do that job instead, and it’s not like he’d actually bother calling any of them on Johnny. He’s harmless, if incredibly annoying, and it would be no effort to take him out himself if he was an actual danger. The threat does its job, though; Johnny nods obediently and backs up to sit on the couch, Sophia eying him warily.

Cloud changes quickly and rushes back downstairs, not wanting to leave the two of them alone for long. He heads straight for the door, and Johnny trails behind him with a whine. “You’re not even gonna introduce me to any of the Honeygirls?” he asks disbelievingly. After a moment, he straightens up with a nervous expression. “I mean—just to meet them and say that I admire their talent, of course! I would never—never do anything to hurt my Tifa!”

The blond groans, rubbing at his temples. “She’s taken,” he lies after a minute, smirking at Aerith as they reach her.

“Wha—You mean—You and Tifa—?” Johnny asks, shell-shocked.

“Nope. Not me,” he says, holding his arm out. Aerith giggles at his antics as she takes it. “None of your business who, though.”

“Oh man… I knew I shouldn’t have left her all alone there! _Of course_ she’d move on if I was away for too long!” Cloud rolls his eyes and resists the urge to shatter Johnny’s delusions. He already knows it’s impossible. Not worth the energy to try when he’s already so short on it. “I… Sorry, man, I know I just got here, but… I think I need to go—”

“Lick your wounds?”

Johnny makes an offended noise, but after a moment he says, “… Yeah, I guess that’d be the words for it. Sorry, bro.”

“Gee, what a shame,” Cloud says sarcastically. “Guess we’ll just have to catch up next time, huh?”

“Yeah!” he agrees, perking up a little. “Now that I know you work at the Honeybee Inn, we can hang out even though I gotta stay out of Sector 7!”

“ _No!_ ” Cloud says, a bit of panic in his voice. “Uh… Work is… off-limits, you know? Can’t have people visiting me there.”

“Oh, right… I guess you’re probably pretty busy, aren’t you?” Johnny asks, visibly drooping again.

“Yep. Hey, maybe we’ll see each other around some other time,” he says, silently praying that they won’t. “But you should go… do what you need to do for now.”

“Alright. Well, it was good to see you again, bro. You rocked that dress, by the way. And you too, Aerith! Sorry we couldn’t chat more.”

“No problem, Johnny,” she says kindly. “Maybe next time.”

“Yeah. Bye!” he shouts, already taking off at a run. Cloud lets out a loud sigh of relief, and Aerith chuckles.

“You alright?” He nods. “I’m glad you held back and were… kinda-sorta nice to him. He seems sweet. Kind of stupid, but sweet.” Cloud gives her a skeptical look, and she shrugs. “He’s like a puppy. Just wants to be friends with everybody and get lots of attention and run around everywhere.”

“If you say so.”

“I do,” she teases.

“Whatever. Let’s just go. I’m just about ready to drop.”

That worried look is back, but Aerith still refrains from asking. “Yeah. I can’t wait to crawl into bed.”

* * *

It feels like he’s only slept for an hour when Cloud’s awoken by a loud banging on his door.

“We’re going clothes shopping,” Jessie declares as he opens it.

“What? Why? I just—”

“Because the only thing you own for when you _don_ _’t_ feel like wearing a skirt is your old uniform, and we both know you could do a lot better than that,” she answers, one eyebrow raised as if daring him to disagree. In one quick breath, she adds, “And because you need a nice dress because we’re going clubbing tonight!”

“We are?” Cloud asks flatly.

“Yep! You, me, Tifa, Barrett, and Aerith! We tried to get Biggs and Wedge to come, too, but apparently they’ve got some long-standing Guys Night thing.”

“I’m pretty sure no one asked me about this.”

“Aww, come on! You like dancing, you like drinking… Put ‘em together, add the four of us to drag you out of your shell, and I promise you’ll have fun! Besides, she wouldn’t say why, but Aerith is under the distinct impression that you need some time to relax.”

“…Fine.”

“Really? Wow, that was easier than I expected,” Jessie says, blinking in surprise. Cloud just shrugs; it’s true that he could use the relaxation, and if they’re all going, then… Why not? “Alright, get ready and let’s go!”

* * *

“No way.”

“What?” Jessie whines. “But why not?!”

“I can’t believe I even let you talk me into going to a club with you guys, but no way in hell am I wearing that. And it should be obvious why!”

“It’s really not, Cloud,” she insists with a pout. “It’s perfectly normal!”

Cloud gestures at the dress on the hanger she’s holding. “Look how short that is! I’m not interested in flashing everyone, Jessie!”

The woman huffs dramatically. “You’re not gonna flash anyone, Cloud. It’s not _that_ short. Just a perfectly normal little black dress. It’s basically _made_ for dancing.” He gives her a look, and she amends, “Well, for clubbing, anyways. Besides, you’ll look sexy!”

“I really don’t give a shit,” he says, rolling his eyes, but Jessie just grins.

“Oh, believe me, you will.”

Cloud narrows his eyes. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing,” she lies, shoving the hanger in his face again and twirling on her heel. “I’ll leave you alone now, but you better try it on, and you better wear it when you meet up with all of us at Seventh Heaven tonight!”

“Or what?”

Jessie glances back with a glint in her eye. “Oh, it’s more fun to let you imagine the consequences. Just know that you’ll regret it, one way or another,” she says before shoving him into the changing room and walking away. Cloud shudders, glares at the dress for a few more moments, and starts changing with a sigh.

* * *

“This is gonna be so much fun! I’ve never actually been clubbing before!” Tifa says giddily as they all walk together later that night. She’s in a new dress too, red and slightly longer than the blue one, but still short enough to show off her legs and tight enough to show off her figure. Aerith makes no secret of the fact that she keeps glancing over to ogle her, and Tifa blushes and fails to hide a shy smile each time she catches her.

“Me neither,” Aerith says, and Cloud makes a vague noise of agreement.

“It’s been a while,” Barret says, grinning, “But you better believe I haven’t lost my skill on the dance floor!” Cloud raises a skeptical eyebrow, but it goes unnoticed.

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve gone, too,” Jessie agrees, adding wistfully, “But I used to all the time.” Her and Barret walk ahead a bit, drifting off into chatter and leaving the other three to themselves.

Aerith’s eyes narrow at Cloud and she gives him a look that’s half glare, half pout. He quickly scans through the last few minutes to figure out what he could’ve said to warrant _that_ reaction, but comes up blank. “What?” he asks hesitantly.

“Nothing,” she answers, shaking her head. “I was just thinking about how lucky you are and how jealous I am.”

“…Why?”

Aerith gestures vaguely at his dress. “You get to wear things like that without having to stuff yourself into a strapless bra!” She squirms uncomfortably. “Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure my back is breaking.”

Tifa makes a sympathetic sound. “They’re the worst,” she agrees.

Cloud glances away uncomfortably and does his best to tune out their conversation for the rest of the walk.

* * *

The club is packed, but shockingly, they manage to find a table that all five of them will fit at.

“Will you go get our first round of drinks?” Jessie asks, batting her eyes at Cloud. He rolls his eyes but gets everyone’s requests and heads for the bar, checking the place out while he waits in line. It’s definitely not anywhere he would’ve thought to go on his own, too busy and hot and filled with people who are so drunk they’re nearly falling over. The music is loud enough to drown out both the voices of the strangers around him and his own thoughts, though, which is… comforting, in a way.

Cloud head back to the table once he gets the drinks. He sets them down and tugs at the too-short hem of the dress as he sits back down on his stool, wondering why he let the girls talk him into this in the first place. He glances at the empty seats across from him. “Where’d Barret and Aerith disappear to?” he asks, and Jessie smirks, tilting her head toward the dance floor. He follows her gaze, absently sipping at his drink, and catches sight of them on the fringes of the crowd. He’s not surprised to learn that Aerith is all grins and grace when she dances, but _Barret_ giving her a run for her money is shocking.

It must show on his face, because Tifa laughs and reminds him, “He _does_ dance, if you give him half a chance to. He tried to get _you_ to dance once too, remember?”

Cloud’s brows furrow in confusion before he remembers the reactor, where both of them had denied Barret. He only feels the tiniest hint of guilt about it, even now. Before he can think of a response, the door behind their table opens and he glances up, more out of reflex rather than any actual curiosity. He freezes when he sees Andrea, dressed incredibly as always but without the usual flashy touches. He looks like maybe he actually belongs in a club like this in his tight black pants and dark blue button-up, the first few buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Cloud whips back around to Tifa and Jessie, and when he sees their matching shark grins, he realizes that one of them—if not both—must have set this up somehow.

Sure enough, Andrea heads straight for them, and Cloud can feel him standing over his shoulder a few seconds later. “Can I buy you a drink, gorgeous?” Andrea asks, just a hint of amusement in his voice as he leans close to be heard over the thumping bass. Cloud has to restrain a shiver at the feeling of his breath on his ear. He doesn’t turn toward the other man, still staring down the girls, but their smiles don’t fade at all.

He watches them for a few more seconds before a slow smirk spreads across his face and he finally looks up to Andrea. If this is a game, it’s one that he’s finally learning how to play. “I’ll take a Stinger, thanks.” The other man responds with a nod and a smirk of his own before heading for the bar. Cloud stares after him for a moment before downing his bourbon and pushing the glass into the center of the table. Tifa watches him with one eyebrow raised curiously, and Jessie just cackles behind her hand. He doesn’t give either of them the satisfaction of a response.

Andrea returns after a few minutes, sliding Cloud’s drink in front of him as he takes a sip of his own. He hovers over him until Jessie says brightly, “Have a seat, Andi! I’m pretty sure they aren’t coming back anytime soon anyways.” Cloud glances across the floor at their friends and realizes she’s probably right. They look like they’re having the time of their lives. He can’t resist the quirk of his lips as Barret suddenly spins Aerith several times and she collapses into helpless giggles. When he finally turns back around, he finds Andrea staring at him with a soft smile as he sits. Cloud can feel the blush rising on his face, so he quickly hides it behind his glass.

Silence falls over the table, and to his own surprise, Cloud is the one to eventually break it. “Didn’t expect to see you here tonight. Don’t you have your own club to run?” If it comes out a little sharp, Andrea ignores it.

He shrugs and takes a drink. “As much as I love my work, it _is_ still work. It’s nice to go somewhere I’ll blend in with the crowd and relax every once in a while.”

Cloud nearly laughs. He cannot imagine Andrea Rhodea ‘blending in with the crowd’ _anywhere_ , but as he glances around the room, he realizes it’s true that there aren’t nearly as many eyes aimed their way as usual. “And I’m sure these two had nothing to do with it,” he says flatly, glancing in Tifa and Jessie’s direction.

Andrea shrugs again, an unapologetic grin lighting up his face. “Well, maybe just a bit,” he admits. “How could I turn down an invitation from two lovely young ladies, especially when it was an invitation to spend some time with my favorite muse?”

His face instantly heats up again, and Cloud can only silently pray that the makeup and the dim lighting hide the blush that must go all the way to the tips of his ears. He opens his mouth to respond, then closes it again when he realizes that he’d probably choke on his own tongue if he tried to say anything. His heart races and he stares down into his drink and wills himself to calm down. _They_ _’re only pretty words,_ he scolds himself.

Tifa must finally take some pity on him, because she rushes to his rescue and draws Andrea into conversation. Their voices fade into the background of the buzzing in his ears, and all at once, Cloud is _angry_. Not at Andrea, not even at Tifa and Jessie, but at _himself_ and at this whole stupid situation. His conversation with Justine rattles around his head. _Just show him that you_ _’re sure._ He's tired of lying to himself that Andrea’s words don’t mean anything, of denying himself this one goddamn thing that he wants so bad, of being so _scared_ of… _Of what?_ he wonders. _Messing it up? Is that really any worse than not giving it a chance in the first place?_

No answer comes, and after a few long seconds of silence, Cloud looks up, mind made up. Ignoring the way that nerves make his hands shake, he holds one out to Andrea as he stands. With a bravado he doesn’t feel, he smirks and asks, “May I have this dance?” It’s not until the words are out that he realizes Tifa was still talking, but he’ll apologize later. If he could tear his gaze away, he’d see that she was far from upset anyways.

“It’d be an honor,” he answers, taking Cloud’s hand with a grin.

Cloud’s eyes never leave Andrea’s as he leads the way, walking backwards and pulling him along until they reach the center of the dance floor. The music that’s playing fades into another peppy song with a strong beat, something that sounds exactly like the kind of song Andrea would make him listen to for his so-called “music education.”

 _It's getting late, I’m making my way over to my favorite place  
_ _I gotta get my body moving, shake the stress away  
_ _I wasn'_ _t looking for nobody when you looked my way  
_ _Possible candidate, yeah_

Cloud closes his eyes for a moment and lets it wash over him, sooth him as they start dancing. This, at least, is familiar: the dance floor, the music, the way they move together. When he opens them again, he finds Andrea watching him with a hunger in his eyes that makes his stomach flip. It’s a look he’s only caught glimpses of before, always passing by each other too quickly, with too much of their focus on the performance. Now he can’t look away.

 _Who knew that you'd_ _be up in here looking like you do  
_ _You're_ _makin’ staying over here impossible  
_ _Baby I must say your aura is incredible  
_ _If you don't_ _have to go, don’t_

Cloud’s lips twitch, caught somewhere between a smirk and nervous smile, and his bracelets jangle as he reaches to wrap his arms around Andrea’s neck. The other man’s hands drop to his hips, burning through his dress as they rock to the beat.

 _Do you know what you started? I just came here to party  
_ _But now we're_ _rockin’ on the dance floor, actin’ naughty,  
_ _Your hands around my waist, just let the music play  
_ _We're_ _hand in hand, chest to chest, and now we’re face to face_

He takes one of Andrea’s hands and spins in his hold, pressing back against his chest in a parody of their first dance together. Andrea’s other hand slowly slides up from his waist to his chest, fingers splayed as he pulls Cloud even closer.

 _I wanna take you away  
_ _Let's_ _escape into the music, DJ let it play  
_ _I just can't_ _refuse it, like the way you do this  
_ _Keep on rockin' t_ _o it  
_ _Please don't_ _stop the, please don’t stop the music_

Cloud lets his head drop back onto Andrea’s shoulder, one hand still wrapped around the back of his neck. He stares at it for a moment, dazed, and decides he likes the way his rings look against Andrea's skin. His breath leaves him in a short sigh, and Andrea’s fingers twitch at the feeling of it. Cloud gives him a slow smirk, peering up through his lashes, and leans in to brush his lips over his neck, a barely-there and gone again pressure. He ignores the warning look he gets in return.

 _Baby, are you ready,_ _‘cause it’s getting close  
_ _Don't_ _you feel the passion ready to explode?  
_ _What goes on between us no one has to know  
_ _This is a private show, oh_

There are eyes on them now; there are _always_ eyes on them, and Cloud tries to imagine what they must look like. It might be absolutely ridiculous. But the image he sees in his head is the furthest thing from it, and it hits him in a rush of arousal that punches the breath out of him. If he had any to spare, he’d probably laugh at the realization that he’s got Andrea Rhodea grinding on him in the middle of a trashy nightclub. It’s definitely not something he ever would’ve expected, and from the hazy look in his eyes, he suspects the other man isn’t entirely sure how they ended up here, either. He swallows thickly and closes his eyes, blocking out the people around them again and focusing on the feeling of their bodies moving together, the emotions, the music thrumming through his bones.

 _I wanna take you away  
_ _Let's_ _escape into the music, DJ let it play  
_ _I just can't_ _refuse it, like the way you do this_  
_Keep on rockin'_ _to it  
_ _Please don't_ _stop the, please don’t stop the music_

The song’s coming to an end quickly, and Cloud clings to it, futilely wishing to draw it out, to stay in this exact moment for the rest of the night. He spins again, and Andrea’s hands fall back around his waist as his own come to rest on his chest. He clutches onto the fabric under his hands, desperately searching Andrea’s face. The other man meets his eyes and holds them until the moment the song draws to a close.

 _Please don't_ _stop the music (music, music, music, music, music, music)_

They stop dancing, but Cloud just keeps staring. One gasped breath passes, two, and then he’s reeling Andrea in by the grip on his shirt, their mouths crashing together. It’s the adrenaline, and the way they always move so perfectly in sync, and every feeling he’s spent months trying to bury. Andrea’s fingers clench tight where they’re still holding him, and then one hand drifts up Cloud’s back to his hair, pulling lightly, and Cloud moans shakily. Andrea pulls away a hair’s breadth, only enough to draw Cloud’s attention, and then leans back in, slowing it down as he takes control of the kiss. Cloud follows his lead, breathing in deep through his nose and moving slowly even as he wants nothing more than to press so close and so hard that they meld together.

When they finally part, he’s left panting against Andrea’s lips. He’s gratified to see that the other man barely seems any more composed than he feels, eyes wild and shirt rumpled where Cloud’s been clinging to it. After a long moment, Andrea glances away from him, and Cloud follows his gaze to where Barret and Aerith are standing not too far away. Barret is pointedly looking anywhere but at them, his cheeks slightly pink, while Aerith grins at them like the cat that got the canary, but neither of them say a word. Cloud turns away, hiding his face from them as a blush spreads, his whole face feeling like it’s on fire.

Andrea gives him a minute to gather himself before taking his hand. “Maybe we should meet back up with your friends,” he suggests almost regretfully, but Cloud doesn’t follow him when he takes a step back.

Instead, he holds onto his hand so tightly that it must hurt and squares his jaw. “Wait.”

“What is it?” Andrea asks, a hint of worry sneaking into his voice at whatever he sees in his expression. Cloud swallows down his nerves and meets Andrea’s eyes again.

“One more dance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was 20 chapters too much of a tease? XD
> 
> I swear, some of you were just about ready to murder me lmao. I promise I really wasn’t trying to draw it out so long, I’ve just had a LOT of ideas for this fic, and a lot of them only worked if they were before these two idiots got together. Hopefully the payoff is worth it, between this chapter and my promise that there will be about as much (if not more) content of them _after_ they’re together.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You mayyy have noticed I’ve been pumping out updates like crazy lately lol. That’s partially because I’ve found my motivation again, but also partially because it’s Camp NaNoWriMo and because I was very excited to get to that last chapter. Now that I’ve passed my Camp NaNo goal and gotten to this point in the story, updates might slow down. Or they might not. I honestly don’t know. As of right now, I’m still going strong and spending most of my free time writing, but we’ll see how long that lasts.

At some point, Tifa comes to tell Cloud that they’re leaving, a question in her eyes. He simply gives her a tiny smile and asks her to tell the others he said goodbye. She watches him carefully for a moment before smiling back and nodding. Then she gives him a quick hug and disappears back into the crowd, and Cloud lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

He and Andrea dance until long after he’s lost track of time, until the club closes and the last lingering partiers are shooed out. They stand out on the sidewalk for a few minutes, side-by-side, and he suddenly starts feeling awkward all over again. Before it can overtake him, Cloud asks, “Wanna come back to Sector 7 with me?” Andrea looks to him, head tilted, and it takes Cloud a few seconds to realize what that searching look is about. He flushes slightly. “Just. Um. To hang out. We can just go back to Seventh Heaven if you want.” Silently, he hopes that Andrea will insist on going to the bar. He’s not sure what he’s more worried will happen if they go back to his apartment—that he’ll suddenly freeze up entirely and ruin the whole night, or that he’ll move way faster than he’s actually ready for.

“Wherever you want,” Andrea answers softly, and Cloud nods, trying not to let his disappointment show at having to make the decision himself.

* * *

“Well, here it is,” Cloud says as they walk into Seventh Heaven, motioning around them.

Andrea pauses and takes in the room for a long moment. Cloud wonders how it must look to him, tiny and plain with no beauty or glitz, but if he’s disappointed at all, he doesn’t show it. Cloud’s glad; it’s basically his second home, and somehow it feels like if Andrea rejected it, it would be a rejection of _him_. The thought makes no sense, especially considering that it’s not even _his_ bar, so he does his best to shake it off.

Cloud glances around, hesitating even though he knows the bar’s been closed all night. Once he’s sure that it’s empty, he pulls off his shoes, moaning in relief and feeling a moment of severe sympathy for any woman who’s ever been forced to wear heels through a full workday or night. He wobbles slightly from the unfamiliar feeling of flat ground under his feet, and even though the heels were only a few inches high, he suddenly feels staggeringly shorter standing next to Andrea. He sits down at one of the tables in an attempt to shrug off the feeling, and Andrea takes the seat next to him after a moment’s hesitation.

They’re silent for a minute. Cloud takes a deep breath. “Can I ask…”

“What is it, honey?” Andrea asks with a curious look.

He glances away. “I get why you pushed me away the other night. I said something stupid, and…” He trails off again, shrugging uncomfortably. “But why the first time? That night after the huge show, I mean. I thought…”

Andrea gives a slightly forced-sounding laugh. “I’m… I’m sorry about that, dear. There were two reasons. The first really was because I knew your friends were waiting for you. It took so much courage for you to bring them all, and I knew you must have been anxious to find out what they thought.”

“Kinda the opposite, actually…” Cloud mutters. He waits a few moments before prompting, “…And the second?”

“Ah, well… Do you remember what I told you about the opinion some people have on my relationship with Sophia and Cassius?”

“Yeah? … _Oh_ ,” Cloud says, blinking as he gets it. He rolls his eyes, a scowl flickering over his face for a moment. “Well, like I said before, fuck ‘em.”

“Which is obviously the conclusion I eventually came to, too,” Andrea says with a chuckle. “It took some time, though. I _was_ worried that you might be feeling… pressured.”

“ _What?_ No, that’s— _no_ ,” the blond says firmly, catching Andrea’s gaze so he can see that he’s serious. The other man rewards him with a small, grateful smile and squeezes his hand where it lays on the table. Cloud squeezes back, surprised that something so simple can make his heart swell.

“Cloud…” Andrea hesitates, an unusually serious look on his face.

“What?” Cloud asks after a long minute of silence.

The other man sighs. “I have to ask, dear… Are you sober right now?”

Cloud glances away, cheeks dusted pink. It’s probably a fair question; they’d each grabbed a few more drinks throughout the night. “I might have been a little buzzed earlier,” he admits before looking back up, his gaze resolute, “But I’m not taking anything back. And I’m definitely sober _now_. Wouldn’t have brought you here if I wasn’t.”

“…Good,” Andrea says after a few moments, a hint of his usual smirk appearing. “It’d be terribly disappointing if you didn’t remember any of this in the morning.”

* * *

Cloud jolts awake the moment he feels someone touching him, instinctively reaching for the sword that isn’t there and latching onto Andrea’s bicep instead. The pressure on his shoulder disappears as Tifa takes a startled step back, laughing nervously. “Sorry,” she whispers. “Should’ve known better than to touch you while you were asleep. Just wanted to wake you up and warn you that the bar’s opening soon.”

Cloud sighs and does his best to let the adrenaline rush fade. “The fact that you even managed to get that close without me waking up is worrying.” He runs a hand through his hair, cringing when it gets caught in a giant knot. (If only Aerith had warned him about the downsides of long hair when she’d encouraged him to let it keep growing out. He can’t help but wonder how she keeps hers under control; he has trouble with it just a few inches longer than usual, but her hair is practically never-ending.)

“Guess you were just that exhausted… How late did you stay out last night?” Tifa asks worriedly.

He shrugs. “Late. However long they were open, and then we came back here and talked until…” Cloud pauses, glancing over at Andrea where he’s still sleeping, head pillowed on his arms. “Whenever I passed out. I don’t actually know.”

When he looks back up, Tifa’s giving him _that_ look—the one that says she’s happy for him, which is great, but also that she wants to _talk_ , and that’s… Too much too soon. At the very least, he needs to sort things out with Andrea before talking to anyone else about… whatever this is, and Cloud knows that particular conversation will probably take all of his energy and then some. So before she can start asking questions, he pushes away from the table and starts digging through the fridge. “Do I have time for breakfast before you open?”

The look on Tifa’s face says no, but she hides it quickly with a smile and makes an exception. “Sure. I’ll cook something up,” she says, gently but firmly nudging him out of the way. “Do you have a hangover?”

Cloud pauses, considering. The lights are making his head throb a bit, but it’s far from the worst state he’s ever been in. “Not really,” he answers, shaking his head as he circles the bar again and falls onto a stool. “What about you?”

“No, I’m fine.” She stares at him for a minute, gnawing on her lip, before turning to the stove with a sigh. “You should wake Andrea up so he can eat, too.”

Cloud nods, hesitating for a moment before standing back up. He hovers over Andrea, eventually reaching out to shake his shoulder. “Morning,” he says quietly when the other man blinks awake.

“Mm, morning, darling. What time is it?”

Cloud shrugs, glancing over his shoulder at Tifa. “Ten,” she offers.

“…What?” Cloud asks when Andrea laughs.

“Looks like I dragged you onto _my_ schedule this time,” he answers. “Doesn’t it feel better to get a few extra hours of sleep?”

“Not when you’re sleeping on a table,” he scoffs. “You can’t tell me you were comfortable like that.”

Andrea just shrugs and stands up. “I’ve woken up in stranger places before,” he says vaguely, ignoring the questioning look Cloud send him in favor of moving to the bar. “Mmm, whatever you’re cooking smells delicious, dear,” he tells Tifa.

She grins at him over her shoulder and says, “Hope you like omelettes!” His face falls, and Cloud snorts. “I’ll… take that as a no,” Tifa says, her smile turning brittle.

“I’m sure they taste just as good as they smell,” Andrea assures her. “And I’d love to have some if I _could_.”

“He’s allergic,” Cloud explains. Tifa nods and turns back to the stove, looking relieved. He can’t help the small smile when he turns his attention back to Andrea. “I’ll make you something else. And then we should get out of here, since the bar’s already supposed to be open.”

“It’s alright, no need to rush,” Tifa says. “The upside of being my own boss is that I get to set the hours. I doubt anyone will even notice; the only people who usually show up in the morning are A—”

She cuts herself off, eyes wide, and Cloud cringes. “He… already knows.”

“ _What?_ ” she asks in a panicked whisper, dropping her spatula into the pan.

“…Sorry.”

Tifa closes her eyes, one hand coming up to rub between them. “Cloud, that’s—” She pauses, takes a deep breath, and glances over at Andrea before letting it out on a sigh. “…Okay,” she says eventually, clearly trying to rein herself in. “Can’t change the past. I really wish you’d warned us first, though… Or _me_ , at least. I can understand why you wouldn’t tell Barrett, but…”

“I know. I’m sorry,” Cloud repeats, eyes glued to the floor.

“It’s okay, it—Obviously nothing has happened, so… It’s okay.” She sighs again and gestures to the fridge. “Just… do whatever you were gonna do.”

He nods and digs up some hashbrowns and sausage before glancing to Andrea. He has his back turned to them, staring out the window and doing his best to pretend he couldn’t hear their whole conversation. It’s… not a very convincing act.

They finish cooking and eating in silence, Tifa sitting at the opposite end of the bar and glancing at them occasionally like she wants to say something, but she waits until they’re finished and are about to leave. She catches Cloud by the elbow as he tries to follow Andrea out the door, pulling him back inside for a minute. She searches his face, stalling for a minute by fixing his hair, then drops her hands and looks him dead in the eyes. With one more deep breath, she asks seriously, “Is this what you want? …I mean, I _know_ it is, but… _Really_ want. Not just…” Tifa pauses, shrugging with a sigh. “I don’t know… Curiosity?”

Cloud glances away, still not wanting to have this conversation, but her genuine concern makes him turn back after a moment with a tiny smile that he hopes is reassuring. “…Yeah, it is.”

Her eyes dart over his face again, and then she steps back with a nod. “Okay then. Then… don’t let it go.”

“I don’t plan to,” he says. It must be the right answer, because Tifa’s smile returns, small but brilliant.

“Good. Now go, he’s probably waiting on you.” Before he can move to do just that, she darts forward again to give him a quick hug. Cloud returns it, and then she’s gently pushing him out the door.

“Everything alright?” Andrea asks from his spot at the bottom of the steps.

Cloud blinks in the sunlight and nods. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good. So… where to?”

“I don’t know…” He hesitates, sighing quietly before he says, “We should probably… talk, huh?”

“Probably,” Andrea agrees, lips quirking in some semblance of a smile. “Want to head back to my apartment so we have some privacy?”

Cloud nods after a moment. His own might be closer, but it’s smaller and far from comfortable. Probably not the best place for an already uncomfortable conversation. They start walking, and after a few minutes, Andrea starts in on a story about something that Jules and Jay did the last time he was at the gym. Cloud tries to pay attention, but half of it goes in one ear and out the other, nerves making it hard to focus as his stomach twists itself in knots. Luckily, Andrea seems to understand and just continues to fill the silence with mindless chatter.

* * *

“What does this make us?” Cloud blurts out as soon as the door closes behind them. He flinches, blushing when Andrea just turns to stare at him. He’d been so preoccupied throughout the walk that he wanted to get this conversation out of the way as soon as possible, but it only takes a moment to realize that it’s entirely the wrong way to start.

Andrea recovers after a few seconds and just goes along with it, though. “What do you want us to be?” he counters, leading Cloud over to the couch.

Cloud hesitates; that’s the worst kind of non-answer, and for a moment, his chest aches terribly. There’s something like hope in Andrea’s eyes, though, so he takes the leap. “I wanna be with you,” he says, and admitting it aloud somehow makes him realize just _how_ true it is. He wants this more than he’s let himself want anything in a long time, so badly it hurts.

“Good,” Andrea breathes with a relieved smile, “Because I’ve wanted you since the night we met.” He caresses Cloud’s cheek and traces his thumb over his bottom lip, waiting with a question in his eyes.

Cloud’s breath catches and he nods slightly, leaning into it when Andrea kisses him. It’s slower than their kiss the night before, softer, and he smiles against Andrea’s lips. A happy laugh bubbles up in his chest, and he doesn’t bother to stop it, only pulls away slightly to rest their heads together as it escapes.

Andrea lets the silence settle and basks in it for a few minutes before speaking up again. “Are you okay with others knowing about us?” he asks hesitantly, eyes on their hands as he tangles them together.

Cloud snorts. “Pretty sure everyone we know already does. Not much point in trying to hide it, right?”

“Fair enough,” he says, meeting Cloud’s eyes with an amused smile. “And what should I call you if anyone asks?”

He shrugs, gaze darting away for a moment. “I guess I don’t really care. Labels are weird.”

Andrea laughs. “True… Lover sounds purely physical… Partner sounds too serious and might be seen as a _business_ partner… Boyfriend sounds too juvenile…”

Cloud bites his lip and admits, “I don’t think I’d mind that one. I mean, yeah, I guess it does make me sound like a teenager, but…” He shrugs. “At least it’s clear?”

A grin overtakes Andrea’s face, and he leans forward to kiss the blond’s cheek. “If that’s what you want, then I’m more than happy to oblige,” he says quietly.

Cloud smiles back and turns his head to catch Andrea’s lips again, just because he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sorry, long ass note incoming, because I want your opinions on something. It’ll still be a little while before we get there, but this fic has smut. Like, a whole lot of it actually lol. I’m hesitant to post it for a few reasons, though:  
> 1\. Some people are just here for the fluff and have no interest whatsoever in the smut, which is 100% fine and fair, especially since I’ve left the rating as M up until now.  
> 2\. I’m just… not that good at writing it. I’d like to think that I’ve improved while working on this fic, but I’m definitely not at the level of a lot of writers on AO3 lol  
> 3\. The main reason: there are several kinks. The one that makes me most hesitant about sharing it is the (totally consensual!) feminization, because although some of Cloud’s outfits in this fic have been sexy, I have tried to avoid any implications of crossdressing itself being inherently sexual because, well. It’s not. People can wear whatever the fuck they want and it has no bearing whatsoever on sexuality. But, that being said, my brain hates me and decided that these scenes needed to exist. And yes, End in Burning Flames or Paradise also involves feminization, but it was a big enough part of that one that I felt comfortable tagging and warning for it right from the start, whereas here it’s just a few chapters in a story that will be well over 100k. (Fun fact: I didn’t want to mention it at the time because we were nowhere near this point in THIS fic yet, but EBFP was very purposefully written as a contrast to this fic. There are several very similar ideas and situations, but they’re handled very differently because one involves a couple that has worked hard to learn to communicate, while the other involves… people who are so bad at communicating that they don’t even know whether they’re a couple or not lmao)
> 
> Sooo, here’s where you guys come in: there are three options and I want you to decide which I should go with, because you’re the ones who know what you are or aren’t comfortable with. I’ll leave this open for a bit before announcing the results, so still feel free to chime in if you see this after the next chapter or two go up! The options for what to do with the smutty scenes are:  
> 1\. Leave it all in.  
> 2\. Leave it all out.  
> 3\. Make a separate, “deleted scenes” kind of fic for it. (This probably seems like the obvious option, but the only reason I'm not doing it by default is that it might be difficult to weave some of the _emotional_ developments from those scenes back into the main fic.)  
> And secret option number 4. Let me know if you have ideas for a better way to handle it! :)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who’s given your input on the last chapter! Like I said before, I’ll leave it open for a bit longer, although I think it’s already becoming pretty clear what most people would prefer lol
> 
> Decided to split the focus with a couple of the other pairings in this fic for this chapter :)  
> Also, I’m pretty sure I stole a certain turn of phrase that Aerith uses in this chapter from Buffy: the Vampire Slayer. I tried to reword it several times but it just didn’t sound as fun XD

It takes Cloud entirely by surprise how quickly and wholly Andrea consumes his thoughts. As if one day together was all it took to break a dam that he wasn’t even aware he’d built inside his head. As if one taste was all it took to realize that he’d never get enough.

It’s absolutely terrifying.

Heading for the inn the next day, he doesn’t even realize how quickly he’s walking until Aerith giggles and grabs him by the elbow. “Slow down, silly! I’m gonna run out of breath trying to keep up with you!” she says. Cloud turns, and even though he knows it’s only because she’s laughing at him, it’s a relief to see her bright smile back in place. Too gently, she reminds him, “Andi’s usually busy before shows anyways, right?” He doesn’t answer, embarrassed that he’s rushing in the first place, and doubly so that it’s so obvious _why_. Apparently she isn’t even _expecting_ an answer, though. “So let’s just… slow it down a little, and you can see him after.”

Cloud forces himself to slow down, falling back so she can latch onto him. “…Sorry.”

Aerith laughs. “Don’t be, I get it!” She hesitates for a long moment before peering up at him with an angelic smile that might actually be convincing if he didn’t know her as well as he does. “…So can I talk about it now? Things _did_ change, after all, right?”

“…Whatever,” he answers, rolling his eyes.

She makes a happy little high-pitched sound. “I’m so happy for you, Cloud!” she rushes out, making him blink down at her in surprise. For some reason, it’s definitely not where he expected her to start. “… _And_ for the rest of us, because _boy_ was I just about ready to lock you both in a closet until you figured yourselves out!”

Yeah, _that_ _’s_ closer to what he was expecting.

“Guess that means it’s your turn to get it together, huh?” Cloud asks, trying to throw it back at her for once and already knowing it won’t work.

To his surprise, Aerith blushes bright red, her grin turning embarrassed and sappy. “Actually…” she says, not looking at him as she draws the word out. “You and Andi might not have been the only ones to make with the smoochies at the club…”

Cloud blinks down at her, not even trying to resist the smile that tugs at the corners of his lips. He knows he isn’t great with words, so instead, he just pull his arm out of her grip and wraps it around her shoulders, tugging her into his side and squeezing gently. She leans into it, still grinning, and they continue on in silence.

* * *

“You’re coming with me today,” Manda says the moment they walk through the doors. She grabs onto the arm that isn’t wrapped around Aerith and tugs gently, leading him towards the practice rooms.

“Huh? Why?” Cloud asks, glancing around in confusion. Sophia catches his eye and gives him the tiniest hint of a smile, and he can’t help but be relieved.

“Because everyone’s gone and I’m bored,” Manda answers petulantly.

Cloud lets himself be tugged through the doors, shrugging apologetically at Aerith. She just laughs. “What do you mean, ‘everyone’s gone?’”

“Justine’s off today. Pyra’s sick in bed. Folia’s been avoiding this place like the plague every time you’re around—yeah, you’ll have to explain that one to me at some point—and Cash apparently got some one-day gig at a big photoshoot,” she says, ticking each of them off on her fingers. She pauses and flashes him a grin. “Oh right, that’s the other reason why you’re coming with me. He wanted me to do your makeup today… or to oversee it if you wanted to give it a shot yourself.” As they walk into the practice room, Manda gestures to the makeup and mirror set up on one of the little stands of drawers.

“…I’ll try,” Cloud says nervously, pulling a stool over as she drops onto the couch. He glances over the products, rearranging them as he mentally goes over Cash’s checklist so that he won’t do them out of order. “You said Pyra’s sick? She okay?” he asks, glancing back at Manda.

She gives a tiny smile. “She’ll be fine, it’s nothing serious. I brought her some soup earlier and made sure she’s got plenty of tissues and cough drops, so hopefully she’ll get better soon…” He nods, and they fall silent. After a minute, though, she suddenly blurts out, “So, you and Andi, huh?”

“…What?”

“Aww, come on, don’t play dumb!”

For a moment, Cloud considers doing exactly that, but then he remembers his conversation with Andrea and that he himself said there was no point in hiding it. “…How’d you find out?” he asks instead.

Manda smirks. “A little birdie told me.” He shoots her an unimpressed look, and she laughs. “Yeah, okay. Cash caught you two ‘saying your goodbyes’ yesterday.” Cloud grimaces. Admittedly, lingering in the lobby as long as they had might not have been the best idea. “I have to admit, I’m kind of jealous of you. I mean, I’m happy for you, of course, but… just an eensy weensy bit jealous, too,” Manda says, holding her index finger and thumb close together and peering at him through the gap.

Cloud is silent for a long moment, brows furrowed. Eventually, he asks, “…Why?”

She laughs. “Why _wouldn_ _’t_ I be? You’re strong, you’re beautiful… You’re the person who saves the day _and_ gets the guy.” When his confusion only seems to grow, she shrugs. “I love my life here, but sometimes I wish for something more, you know? And more than that… I just wish I could be with the person I love.”

“The person you…” Cloud trails off with a questioning sound.

Manda takes a deep breath, and lets it out on a long sigh, sinking down into the cushions until her chin touches her chest. If her words hadn’t made him pay attention, the uncharacteristic lack of composure certainly would’ve. “You really haven’t figured it out yet?” He shakes his head. “And here I thought I was as obvious about it as I could possibly be.” She pauses for a minute, draws in another breath. “…Yeah. I’m in love with Pyra.”

He blinks in surprise. “Really? I thought you were just kind of…” _Flirty,_ he doesn’t finish.

She gives him a pained smile. “Yeah, you’d think so, huh? But nope. I’m just ‘head over heels,’ ‘have a heart attack every time she looks at me’ kinda crazy for the girl.” With a short huff of laughter, Manda adds, “But hey, thanks for the reassurance. If _you_ hadn’t figured it out yet, then maybe it’s not a rejection. Maybe she’s just as oblivious as you and doesn’t see it.”

“Then maybe you should try just telling her.”

Manda raises an unimpressed eyebrow at Cloud and he flushes slightly but holds her gaze. “You’re one hell of a hypocrite, you know that?”

Cloud clears his throat uncomfortably. “Hey, I got it together eventually, didn’t I?” he mutters.

She pushes herself upright again and shrugs, a bit of her usual cheerful mask returning. “Yeah, you did. And you two haven’t known each other nearly as long as Pyra and I have, so… I guess I need to get my ass in gear. Can’t have you showing me up _all_ the time!” Before he can think of a decent response, Manda’s standing up and coming to stand over his shoulder, abruptly changing the subject. “How’re you doing?”

“…Getting there,” he replies eventually, avoiding her gaze and focusing on the mirror instead.

“Need help with anything?”

Cloud hesitates for a long moment before handing over the eyeliner with a huff. “Please.”

Manda grins and drags another stool over to finish it for him. “You know…” she says when she’s done. “You don’t _have_ to put it on your waterline. I know Cash has _opinions_ on the matter, but it really doesn’t look that bad if you don’t. If it’s giving you trouble, why hurt yourself over it? Not worth it, in my opinion.” Cloud hums noncommittally, and she shrugs. “Up to you, whatever you decide. Need anything else?”

He shakes his head. “Don’t think so… Last part’s the easiest.” She nods and smiles, getting up to wander the room as he does the mascara. “Bored?” he asks, voice laced with amusement.

“Already said I was, didn’t I? And you’re not helping—not as entertaining to make fun of you when you just fess up,” Manda answers, but she can’t hide her grin. “Hmm… Do I at least get to do your hair?” she asks, rolling her eyes when Cloud just shrugs. “Alright, what style do you want today?”

He glances at her, eyes wide, and shrugs again. Usually her and Pyra just pick whatever they think will look best and go for it.

Manda grabs the extensions out of the drawer and falls back onto her stool, head tilted curiously. Unusually soft, she says, “You know this is all for _you_ , right?” She rolls her eyes and hedges, “I mean, yeah, for the audience too, to some extent, but… mostly it’s about _you_. Feeling good and looking how you want to. We’ve all been doing our best to help get you there, but… You get to make your own choices here. And I really think that at some point you _should_ , even if you’re embarrassed.”

“…’m trying,” Cloud mutters, and she squeezes his shoulder.

“I know. I’ll choose something if you don’t want to, but… you’re allowed to have your own opinions, and you don’t have to hide here. I hope you know that by now.” He nods. “Good.” She waits a minute to see if he’ll come up with an answer, and eventually he mumbles something under his breath. “What was that?” Cloud glares at her, and she smiles sheepishly. “Not teasing! I really just couldn’t hear you!”

He takes a deep breath, averting his eyes as he says just a bit louder, “…Braid?”

Manda grins. “Ooh, that’ll be fun!” she exclaims, shuffling around behind him. Glancing over Cloud’s shoulder into the little mirror, she says, “Hurry up and finish your makeup first, so I don’t bump you and mess it up or anything.”

He stares at the last few tubes on the stand for a few moments, flushing as he remembers what Cassius had mentioned during their lesson. Eventually, he reaches for the lip gloss anyways; if he’s going to do this himself, he might as well choose something he doesn’t hate, regardless of Cash’s advice.

Manda peers around at him for a few seconds and giggles. “Okay, gotta admit I’m a little curious about _that_.”

“What?”

“Why you’re blushing staring at a tube of lipstick,” she answers with a smirk. “At the same time, I’m pretty sure that I don’t _actually_ wanna know. Too much information.” Cloud groans, and she just laughs again and starts on his hair. More kindly, she asks, “So… for future reference… Were there any other styles that you’ve liked so far?”

“Mm.” He hesitates for a long moment, then admits, “Hated that it was a wig, but the… ponytail, with the…” He vaguely points in a circle around the back of his head, and Manda’s eyes narrow in confusion.

“Oh!” she says after a minute. “You mean this?” She turns her back to him and loops her own hair through itself to tie it into a ponytail, glancing back to catch his nod. “Sounds good, I’ll remember it for next time.” She absentmindedly twists it into a bun and returns to braiding his hair. A few minutes later, she pats his back. “Alright, you’re done. Just go get changed and you’re good to go!”

“Thanks.”

“Welcome!” Manda chirps. “If you find anything else you like, just let me know, ‘kay?”

Cloud nods as he leaves, rushing up to the dressing room and picking an outfit practically at random before heading back downstairs. He waits backstage impatiently until his cue, joining Andrea on the floor with a tiny smile when it comes. The other man grins back as they begin dancing, and Cloud lets himself sweep a little closer than usual, linger a little longer in his arms, cling a little tighter with a breathless laugh when Andrea dips him at the end of the song. “Haven’t done that in a while. Wasn’t expecting it,” he admits once they’re upright again.

Andrea just smiles, but as soon as the show’s over, he pulls Cloud backstage and around a corner to kiss him. “Do you know how much of a _tease_ you are when we’re dancing?” he asks, voice low. There’s amusement underlying his tone, though, and Cloud smiles.

“Not what I was _trying_ to do,” he says. Then, in response to Andrea’s skeptical look, he smirks and corrects himself. “Not this time, anyways.” Cloud wraps his hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down into another kiss to cut off any objections. When they part, he looks Andrea over and laughs.

“What?”

“Mm, nothing,” Cloud answers, not caring how obvious the lie is. He closes the space between them for one more long kiss. “Was just thinking I was right to go with the lip gloss after all.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to crimson-hope for their suggestions, some of which actually fit perfectly into where I’m headed with this fic! <3

Cloud’s never been great with kids, never been big on the whole ‘family’ thing… but watching Marlene, he kind of gets it. Even moreso watching her with Barret or Tifa or, lately, Aerith.

He isn’t sure how Tifa could tell—to him it looked like she was sitting as still and quiet as always—but she’d taken one glance at the girl at some point and regretfully asked Aerith, “Would you mind taking Marlene out to play? I think she needs to run off some energy. I wish I could do it myself, but…” She’d gestured at the customers around them, and Aerith had just grinned and nodded before taking Marlene’s hand in one of her own and grabbing his arm with the other to drag him out with them.

They’d ended up in the tiny “park” where all the children of Sector 7 play, where he’s watching them chase each other around now. When Marlene catches Aerith, she grins from ear to ear. After a while, they come to join him, Aerith taking the spot next to him on the bench and Marlene plopping onto the ground, not caring if her skirt gets dirty. “What’s up, frowny pants?” Aerith asks. Cloud rolls his eyes as the little girl giggles.

“Nothing.”

“Then how come you aren’t playing?” He shoots her a flat look, but she just keeps watching him expectantly, as if she doesn’t know exactly how stupid of a question it is.

“Yeah, how come?” Marlene asks, sitting up on her knees. She gives him a pleading look, eyes wide, and Cloud has to close his own against it. It’s suddenly painfully clear why people are so weak to kids’ puppy dog eyes.

Aerith giggles, and his eyes shoot open to glare at her in warning. “I need to go get something, so you two have fun on your own for a few minutes, okay?”

She’s gone before he can object, and a quick glance shows that Marlene’s still giving him that look. He sighs and stands up, holding out a hand. She takes it with a big grin and follows him over to the tires stuck in the ground. When she just gives him a confused look, he hops across them in demonstration, practically a jog, before coming back to the start to take her hand again. Marlene steps up onto the first tire, face scrunching in concentration as she psyches herself up. Then she hops with both feet onto the next one, beaming up at him proudly when she lands, as if she’s crossed a canyon instead of a tiny gap just a few inches above the dirt. “Good job, kid,” he humors her, holding in a laugh.

Cloud stays next to her, letting her cling to his fingers, until she makes it across. Then she turns around, takes a deep breath, and drops his hand to jump back to the beginning. “I did it!” she cheers, fists clenched. When she glances up and sees Aerith waiting for them back at the bench, she runs to her. Cloud follows more slowly and sits back down. “Aerith, Aerith! Did you see?!”

“I _did_! Good job, Marlene!” she says with a sweet smile.

“So what’d ya get?” the girl asks, bouncing around her excitedly. “Flowers?” she asks when Aerith holds them out. She frowns in confusion. “But aren’t those for the bar?”

“They were, but I promised to replace them. I wanted to show you how to make flower chains with them!”

“Chains?” she repeats, sitting down on the ground again.

Aerith hums, nodding. “You can even make them into a crown!”

Marlene gasps. “Like a princess?”

“ _Exactly_ ,” she agrees, grinning. “So, what do you say, Princess Marlene? Wanna learn?”

“Yeah!”

Cloud watches them in silence, spacing out after a few minutes. Eventually, he’s snapped back to reality when Marlene stands, finished crown in hand, and sets it on top of Aerith’s head. Aerith’s smile quivers. “Aww, Marlene, that’s so sweet… but you worked hard on that. You should keep it for yourself!”

Marlene considers this for a moment, hands on her hips, then shakes her head solidly. “You’re a better princess. You have long, pretty hair and a long, pretty dress,” she says with a smile.

Aerith just stares at her for a bit before saying quietly, “Thank you, sweetie… This one will be yours when I finish, okay? Then we can _both_ be princesses.”

“Okay,” Marlene agrees happily. She pauses for a moment, glancing up at Cloud, and bites her lip. He’s already learned to recognize that face; she wants to say something but isn’t sure if she’s allowed to. He’s just about to ask her what it is when Marlene straightens up, seeming to gather her nerve. “Your dress is really long and pretty too, Cloud!” she assures him very seriously. “But… You don’t wanna be a princess, right?”

Cloud blinks. He’d wondered if she would ever say anything about the days when he dresses like this, had been a little surprised that Barret never told him off for being a bad influence or something… but this definitely isn’t how he expected it to happen if she did. “…Right,” he agrees eventually, a bit confused.

Marlene nods and sits back down. “Okay. So you don’t want one?” she confirms, holding up a few more flowers. He shakes his head. “’Kay.”

He stares at her for a while longer, until Aerith laughs softly. “You just wanted to make sure he didn’t feel left out, right, Marlene?”

“Mmhmm,” she replies, attention already taken wholly by what she’s doing. “I’m gonna make one for Tifa, then. I think it’ll make her happy.”

“I think so, too, sweetie. That’s a great idea.”

Cloud watches them in silence for a few more minutes before standing up abruptly. “If you two are good, I’m gonna go.”

Aerith glances up at him, only slightly surprised. “Heading home?” He shakes his head. “Andrea’s?” He nods, and she returns the gesture. “Mmkay, have fun.”

“Bye, Cloud!” Marlene says, waving.

He nods a goodbye to her and starts walking, glancing back at them as he reaches the corner. Aerith’s full attention is on Marlene, and the way she’s looking at her is the same way Barret does—as if nothing else matters in the entire world. There’s a sad edge to it, though, as if she’s afraid that loving someone so much, even just a child, can only end in heartache. Cloud has to look away and keep walking, too much emotion in that one expression to handle, even as an outsider.

* * *

The road towards Sector 6 is blocked, something finally being done with the construction materials that have been laying around unused for months, so Cloud takes the tunnel. The monsters are slightly more difficult to take out with his leg movement restricted, but they still aren’t too much of a hassle. The bandits that try to jump him, on the other hand… Well, it’s just a good thing they’re stupid and don’t bother to plan or attack him as one. They might actually be able to cause him some trouble if they did.

They _do_ know how to hit below the belt, though, and their alternate mocking and catcalls echo through the tunnel after him even when they’re too injured to do much more than lay around and wait for their buddies to come find them.

As he approaches Wall Market and the Honeybee Inn, Cloud forces a smile up, part habit by now and part simply not wanting to worry Andrea. He really should’ve known it wouldn’t work. “Cloud? What’s wrong?” Andrea asks as soon as he’s inside the apartment and curled up next to him. The blond hums questioningly as he turns to him, and Andrea brushes his thumb over his lips, brows furrowing. “You don’t have to lie, sweetheart.”

“I—hm.” Cloud cuts himself off, fighting with himself for a few moments before he lets the smile drop. “Some assholes just irritated me on the way here. ‘s nothing.”

“What did they do?” he asks worriedly.

Cloud snorts. “Aside from try to _rob_ me, you mean? Not that that’s anything new,” he mutters. He gestures to his clothes. “What d’you think?”

Andrea pulls him closer, and Cloud rests his head on his shoulder. “Don’t pay them any mind, dear. Weak people take cheap shots at your insecurities because it’s all they can do.”

“Mm. Trying not to. Still kinda pissed, though.”

“And rightfully so.”

“Don’t think I’m being dumb for getting stuck on it?” he asks, huffing out a self-deprecating laugh.

Andrea urges his chin up to look at him. “There’s _never_ anything wrong with your emotions being _whatever_ they are. Do I _wish_ you could be happy all the time? Of course. But the world isn’t perfect, so that’s unlikely, and you don’t need to _fake_ it. Not here. Not with me.”

Cloud doesn’t know what to say to that, so he just nods and leans in to kiss him. “…’Kay,” he eventually says, and Andrea huffs out a tiny laugh against his lips.

“How has your day been aside from that, darling?”

“It was… good,” Cloud answers, a little surprised to realize that he means it. The small smile that slips back onto his face is more natural, more genuine. “Took Marlene—Barret’s kid—out for a while. She’s… she’s a sweet kid.”

“How old is she?” Andrea asks softly, carding his fingers through Cloud’s hair.

“Hmm… Not sure. Four, maybe?”

“Kids that young see the world differently than adults do, I think.”

“Yeah.” Cloud hesitates, isn’t entirely sure what makes him say what he says next. “Sometimes I get the feeling that she… understands the world more than she should. Like she can see something the rest of us don’t. Same feeling I get from Aerith sometimes.”

“Maybe she does.”

The blond hums tiredly, the hand running through his hair rhythmic and soothing. “Maybe _she_ can hear the flowers,” he murmurs, lips quirking in amusement as his eyes slip closed.

“What was that?”

Cloud shakes his head, already losing his train of thought as his mind drifts. “Nothing.”

“If you say so,” Andrea replies, quiet humor in his voice. He presses a kiss to the top of Cloud’s head and lays back, settling more comfortably into the cushions. “Get some rest, love. It been an eventful week, and I think we both could use it."


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you noticed that the rating has changed, yep! The most popular option seemed to be to leave the smut in but make it skippable. It'll be a little weird to get used to, since that might mean line breaks in the middle of a scene, so please forgive me if I slip up, but I'll do my best to remember! But with that said, we're not quite there yet lol

“Good morning, dear,” Andrea says with an amused smile as Cloud starts to stir.

“Not morning, it’s the middle of the damn day,” the blond replies, chuckling. “Shouldn’t have let me sleep.”

“Hmm no harm in a lazy day once in a while.”

“Yeah, once in a while,” Cloud scoffs, sitting up and stretching. “You let me do it too often, though. Might just get used to it.”

“Well then, why don’t we go out? Still plenty of time left in the day to do something. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“Huh?”

“I’d like to take you on a date, sweetheart,” Andrea clarifies, lifting Cloud’s hand to kiss his knuckles. “A real one.”

“Oh,” Cloud says. He’s not sure why he’s still surprised that something as small as a few words can set his heart racing. “Um, sure. That sounds… good.”

“So?”

“What?” Andrea laughs, making Cloud cringe when he remembers that there was a question somewhere in there. “Oh, uh. Dunno.” When Andrea just keeps staring expectantly, Cloud rolls his eyes and tries a different wording. “Still don’t know that many places in Midgar, so… surprise me?”

The other man grins. “Now _that_ , darling, I can most definitely do.”

* * *

“What the hell is this place?”

“It’s a carnival, dear. Never been?”

Cloud shakes his head, glancing around at the brightly colored stands and rides and the constant stream of people milling around them. It’s a lot to take in. “Nibelheim was too small to have one, and I… didn’t even know they had things like this in the slums.”

“Mm, not often, unfortunately. But once every year or two this one comes through.”

The blond nods in acknowledgment, shoving one hand into the pocket of the jeans Andrea had suggested he change into before coming. (They feel strange, after years of his loose uniform and months of skirts, but Jessie was right: it feels good to drop the constant reminder of his time with Shinra. He can’t quite figure out why he’s never done it before.) His other hand comes up to gesture ahead of them. “Lead the way.”

“Any preference where we start?” Andrea asks. Cloud jumps slightly when he wraps an arm around his waist, but relaxes after a moment and shakes his head. “Alright, then I suppose we might as well just make our way around from here,” he says, heading for the line in front of the closest ride with a smirk.

“…What’s that look about?”

He chuckles. “Just curious to see how you’ll react to all this, darling. Hoping you’ll enjoy yourself enough to actually let it _show_.”

Cloud rolls his eyes and gestures behind Andrea. “Line’s moving,” he points out. The other man turns around, and a minute later they’re climbing into one of the ride’s long seats together. It starts slowly spinning once everyone’s locked into their spots, and Cloud glances at the kids shouting in front of them with barely concealed boredom. He grasps onto the side of the car as it speeds up and tips sideways, eyes wide, and Andrea barks out a laugh.

“Having fun yet, darling?”

“I—I’m not sure,” Cloud answers. It’s true: he can’t tell whether the way his stomach swoops is from adrenaline or nausea. When his voice bubbles out of him in an unexpected and slightly hysterical laugh, though, he figures that’s answer enough.

When they get off, Cloud stumbling a bit, Andrea asks, “So what’d you think of your first carnival ride?”

“I… think I liked it? Pretty sure I’m gonna have bruises, though,” he answers, chuckling weakly as he rubs at the spots where he’d been flung into both Andrea and the sides of the car.

“Alright, you pick the next one, then—something that actually looks fun to you.”

Cloud hesitates for a long moment before pointing out the roller coaster with an admission of, “I’ve always kinda wanted to try one.”

“Good choice,” Andrea agrees with a grin.

The line is longer than the first, but they eventually make it to the front and onto the ride. Once again, it starts out slowly, but Cloud stays on edge this time until the first drop forces a gasp from his lips. The ride loops twice, dizzying and exhilarating, and Andrea doesn’t even have to ask when it’s over. “ _That_ one was definitely fun,” Cloud says, grinning even as he tries to force down the rising nausea. _Probably just nerves,_ he tries to convince himself.

After the the third ride, it’s impossible to avoid the truth any longer. He staggers over to a bench, all of his focus on keeping his lunch down. “Ugh…” he groans, head hanging low.

Andrea sits down next to him with a concerned expression. “Are you alright, honey?” he asks, rubbing his back.

Cloud waves him off. “’m fine… _Will be_ fine,” he corrects after a moment, stomach churning. “Sorry, I… guess I forgot about my motion sickness.”

“Does this happen often?”

He shrugs. “Used to. Got sick a lot on the way to missions.” He takes a few deep breaths. “Haven’t done anything in a while that would cause it, though, so I wasn’t thinking about it.”

“I’m sorry, dear… Take as long as you need, and then we’ll do something else for a while, hmm?”

Cloud nods gratefully and focuses on breathing through it for a few minutes. Eventually, he slowly sits up and glances to Andrea. “Sorry about this. Didn’t mean to spoil the fun.”

Andrea frowns and squeezes his shoulder. “You _didn_ _’t_ , Cloud. It wouldn’t be any fun at all if you forced yourself through it and felt miserable the whole time. Besides, there’s still plenty of other things to do,” he points out, gesturing to all the stands and tents.

Cloud glances to the nearest one, a food stand, and has to avert his eyes as the very thought makes him queasy again. “Mm. Games it is, I guess.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Andrea agrees with a small smile. “Are you ready now, or do you need a few more minutes?”

“I’m okay now,” he says after a few moments. “Which one do you wanna try first?”

The other man scans the tents before shrugging. Standing up and offering Cloud a hand, he says, “Why don’t we walk around and see what the options are before we decide?”

“’Kay,” Cloud agrees, interlacing their fingers. Andrea grins and squeezes his hand, and the way his stomach flips has absolutely nothing to do with motion sickness this time. As they start walking, Andrea’s gaze brushes over the various toys hanging from the stands they pass. It catches on one, a small smile tugging at his lips, and Cloud pauses to watch him for a moment before stepping towards the barker. He hands over the money silently and gets three balls placed in front of him in return.

“Take your shot! Knock down one bottle, win a small prize! Knock down all three, get a medium! Do it twice and get your pick of the large prizes!” the man shouts, obnoxiously loud with only a few feet between them. Cloud glances up at the prizes hanging above them, then focuses and throws the first ball. Hits the bottles dead on.

One falls.

“Rigged,” he mutters under his breath, jaw clenching. He ignores the man’s platitudes and takes aim again. Manages to knock down both of the remaining bottles. He waits until they’re set up again, then takes his last shot, putting far more of his strength behind it. All three fall this time.

The barker gapes for half a second before his grin returns. “Great job, young man! Which prize do you want? Take your pick, any one you’d like!”

Cloud glances back to Andrea with a questioning look. The other man blinks in surprise and steps forward, pointing. “The chocobo, please.”

“Here you go!” he says cheerfully, pulling the stuffed animal down and tossing it to him. “Have a good day, you two! Now, who’s up next? Step right up—”

Cloud hurries away, the man’s shouting still grating on his ears, but slows down once they’re out of hearing range. Andrea catches up and wraps an arm around his waist again. “Thank you, darling,” he says, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “That was very sweet of you.”

“Welcome,” the blond replies quietly. “Was a little surprised you’d want something like that.”

“Mm, usually I wouldn’t,” Andrea admits. There’s laughter in his voice, and Cloud raises an eyebrow curiously. He lifts the toy with a small smirk, thumb petting over the feathers sticking out from the top of its head. A hint of guilt bleeds into his expression as he admits, “It reminds me of you.”

Cloud stares at him for a long moment before shoving him away. “You asshole!” he says, but he can’t quite restrain his laughter. “And here I was, trying to be nice!”

“It was _very_ nice,” Andrea agrees, catching his hand and pulling him close again. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he murmurs, giving him a quick kiss. “It’s not a _bad_ thing that it reminds me of you, though. Just means that it’s adorable, and so are you.”

“Shut up,” Cloud groans, but he doesn’t push him away again. He looks around for a minute and eventually asks, “Do you wanna try a few of the games, too?”

“Why not?” Andrea decides with a smile.

He tries out the balloon darts and convinces Cloud to play a basketball game, and they make a competition out of the ring toss (Andrea wins, and Cloud can’t resist the urge to kiss the stupid surprised grin off his face). At the end of it all, they’ve got a ridiculous collection of stuffed animals, which Cloud shoves into his supply bag. Not exactly what he ever expected to use it for, but oh well. He pauses before tossing the last one in, a rainbow gecko, and Andrea tilts his head curiously. “What’re you thinking about?”

“Hmm. Was just thinking I might give that to Marlene. She’d get a lot more use out of it than me, I’m sure,” he says with a laugh.

“That’s a lovely idea, darling,” Andrea says.

Cloud just shrugs and continues on, glancing around at the stands again. “I think we’ve done everything,” he points out reluctantly. “Or… everything that won’t make me sick, anyways. Do you wanna go now?”

The other man hums. “Not _everything_ ,” he corrects with a small smile. “I had to wait until the sun started setting to ask, but what would you think about taking a ride on the ferris wheel, my dear?”

Cloud glances to it. “It doesn’t spin or anything, right? Just… does _that_?” he asks, gesturing towards it with his head. Andrea nods. “…Sure, why not.”

“Excellent,” he says, leading him to the ride.

“So why’d you wanna wait ‘til sunset?” the blond asks curiously once they’re settled in line.

“You’ll see,” Andrea answers with a secretive smile.

“Alright…” Cloud drawls, eyes narrowed.

It takes a while, but they eventually make it to the front of the line. They climb into one of the cars, Cloud glaring at the floor suspiciously as it swings underneath his feet, and Andrea chuckles. He waits until the ride is full and starts in earnest before sliding across the space between them and onto the seat next to his boyfriend. “…That safe?” Cloud asks, even as he leans into his side.

“Perfectly,” Andrea assures him. He nudges him and points out over the edge. “Take a look, darling.”

Cloud does, eyes widening as they reach the ride’s peak. On one side, all that he can see is the slums stretching out beyond the wall that encircles the carnival, but on the other… “Oh,” he breathes, “So that’s why.” The lights on all of the rides are lit up now, blurring into something almost otherworldly as they move. The only sounds that reach this high are the whistling of the wind and an occasional delighted screech from a child. Andrea hums affirmatively, and Cloud glances over to find his gaze locked firmly on him rather than the view. His breath catches at the look in those eyes, and he can’t resist the impulse to close the space between them, mouths sliding together soft and slow. A hand slips into his hair, pulling him closer, and Cloud goes easily, half kneeling on the bench as his hands fall to the edge of the car on either side of Andrea’s body.

They separate reluctantly when the ride starts to slow, Cloud stealing one more quick kiss before he slides to the opposite side of the car. He flushes as it comes to a stop and they climb out, suddenly aware of the fact that the ferris wheel must have gone around at least a few times while he was lost in Andrea and that a lot of the people in line must have seen them. Andrea, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care at all. He tangles their hands together as soon as they’re safely off the ride and peers at Cloud from under his lashes. “Ready to go now, sweetheart?”

Cloud swallows and nods. “Yeah,” he agrees, too quiet to be heard among the cacophony around them. Andrea smiles and nods anyways and starts leading him back to the entrance. Cloud follows more slowly, staring at the back of his head for a minute before catching up to lean into him, Andrea’s body heat seeping into his side.

They make the walk mostly in silence, but eventually Andrea stops at a fork in the road to ask, “Are you coming back with me, dear? Or should I drop you off at Sector 7?”

“…With you,” he answers after a short, nervous pause.

Andrea nods, smiles, and continues walking. When they make it back to the Honeybee Inn and up to his apartment, he pulls Cloud inside, closes the door, and just stares at him for a long moment. Just as the blond opens his mouth with a question on the tip of his tongue, he steps closer, the hand that isn’t clutched in Cloud’s coming up to his jaw. He leans in to kiss him deeply, and Cloud meets him halfway.

They make their way into the living room slowly, a step or two at a time in between kisses, and when Cloud sits down, he pulls Andrea down nearly on top of him. The other man pulls away with a chuckle, leaning back against the opposite side of the couch. “Want to read some more?” he asks after a few moments. “I think we’re nearly done with this one.” Cloud nods, holding in a sigh, and one of Andrea’s legs slips off the couch. He pats the empty space. “Come here, sweetheart?”

Cloud nods again and slides closer, back to Andrea’s chest, and his boyfriend’s arms come up to bracket him as he holds the book up with both hands. “What’s wrong?” he asks after a minute or two of silence. He twists to catch a glimpse at Andrea’s face, and the other man just smiles and kisses his cheek.

“Mm, nothing at all. I just have a question and I’m trying to think of the best way to word it.”

“Just ask,” Cloud says with a grimace. Andrea doesn’t hesitate often, and when he does, it’s almost always because it’s something that’s going to embarrass _him_.

“If you insist… Have you ever been with a man, darling?” The blond flushes slightly but shakes his head; it was bound to come up sooner or later. Andrea nods. “Alright, thank you for the honesty.” He tips Cloud’s head up for one more kiss, then turns his attention to the book and starts reading. Cloud settles in more comfortably and tries to ignore the sense that Andrea’s just made some kind of decision and he has no idea what it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is it with me including carnival dates in my fics? I dunno, but I didn’t even realize that it’s become a trend until after I finished writing this chapter XD;


	25. Chapter 25

Cloud isn’t sure why he feels anxious as he enters Seventh Heaven, but apparently it’s obvious that he _does_ , because Tifa catches on immediately. “What’s wrong?” she asks worriedly, leaning forward on the bar as he sits down.

Cloud shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“Cloud…?”

“Really. I just… wanna go somewhere later. Thought you might wanna come too.”

Tifa’s head tilts curiously. “Oh? Where’re you going?”

He hesitates for a long moment, then asks, “You… said you haven’t had time to decorate since you moved into Stargazer Heights, right?”

“Right…” she agrees slowly. After a moment, her eyes widen, and she grins. “Oh! You’re… You’re settling in, huh?”

“…Yeah,” Cloud says, shrugging one shoulder. He doesn’t quite meet Tifa’s eyes as he adds, “Figured it’s about time to get some furniture and stuff, if I’m gonna be sticking around for a while.”

“That’s… That’s a great idea, Cloud,” Tifa says, voice shaking a bit. She reaches across the bar to squeeze his hand, then pulls away after a bit and takes a deep breath. “Sure, I’d love to come. I’ll see if I can get Barret to cover for me here, and then I’ll meet you at the apartments, okay? What time did you wanna go?”

He shrugs again. “Doesn’t really matter. Whenever you’re free is fine.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a while, then.”

Cloud nods and gets to his feet, moving slowly as he leaves the bar. He almost wants to laugh at himself; he never would’ve guessed that wanting to _stay_ somewhere would make him want to _run_ so badly at the same time.

* * *

“So where are we headed?” Tifa asks a few hours later as they leave the apartments.

Cloud gives an awkward laugh. “Was kinda hoping you knew somewhere, actually,” he admits sheepishly.

She giggles into her fist. “Well, lucky for you, I do.” She pauses, lips pursed, and sighs after a few moments. “We should probably take a carriage, though. It’s pretty far.”

“Still not happy with Sam, huh? He helped you get into Corneo’s audition, though, right? Wasn’t that your plan anyways?”

Tifa crosses her arms, weight shifting to one foot. “I didn’t _tell_ him about my plan,” she answers reluctantly. “He picked me anyways. He _constantly_ picked out girls to send off to Corneo’s… without ever even knowing their fates.”

“…All three of them did,” Cloud points out quietly, eyes on the ground. Tifa flinches.

“Andrea helped you and Aerith get in, though, and he had Leslie planted there and sent him to us with all of our gear. And even if he hadn’t, I don’t think I’m allowed to be mad at him,” she jokes.

The blond shrugs. “If you’re saying that ‘cause of me, that’s got nothing to do with it. You’re allowed to feel whatever you want.”

Tifa peers thoughtfully at him for a few moments before turning away again. “Well, I’m not mad at him anyways,” she assures him. “Or Madam M, for that matter. I never met her, but she helped you guys, too, so… she can’t be _all_ bad.”

Cloud snorts. “She didn’t like Corneo, but I don’t think she really cared either way. She was just in it for the money.”

She shrugs uncomfortably. “Guess _nobody_ _’s_ all good, huh?”

“Nobody’s all bad, either,” he points out. He can see the wrinkle in Tifa’s brow, knows she’s thinking about something deeper than she’s saying. “And that goes for all of _us_ , too.”

Tifa glances up at him, surprised. “…Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she replies eventually. She stops in front of the sign for the chocobo stop, still frowning, but doesn’t say anything more until they’re in the carriage. When she does finally speak again, it’s only to change the subject. “You know…” she starts, head tilted. “I noticed something was different earlier, but I couldn’t figure it out.”

“Hmm?”

“You cut your hair, didn’t you?” she asks with a slight pout.

Cloud nods. “Too much of a pain to take care of. Can’t imagine what it’d be like if it got any longer,” he explains. Tifa nods in understanding, thoughtlessly running her fingers over her own hair. “’Sides, figured I’ve got ways if I want it long for a day or two, but the opposite isn’t true.”

“Makes sense.”

They fall quiet again, but Cloud catches Tifa glancing at him every now and again. “What?” he eventually asks with a sigh.

She hesitates, biting her lip. “Was just wondering how things are going with you and Andrea,” she says hesitantly.

He rolls his eyes. “Dunno why my love life is so interesting to everyone lately.”

“Because you’ve never had one before, at least as far as I’ve known, and we’re all happy for you!” Tifa answers, raising an eyebrow in challenge. “Is that not allowed?”

“I guess.”

“Besides, the rest of us don’t exactly have much going on in that department, so… Forgive me for being a little bored,” she says with a laugh. A slow smirk crawls over Cloud’s face, and Tifa shrinks away a bit. “…What?”

“What about you and Aerith?”

“W-what do you mean?”

Cloud snorts and turns away. “You’re not a very convincing liar. I’ll let it go, though.”

“ _Oohhh_ ,” Tifa drawls, nodding. She straightens up with a cocky smile. “I see what this is. You’re trying to make a point, aren’t you? Wanna pretend that you’re not just as nosy as the rest of us. Well, I don’t buy it. Your curiosity’s written all over your face.”

“Huh?”

“Mmhmm… Well, I’ll admit that I didn’t think anyone knew about Aerith and I yet, but I’m not embarrassed to say that we’re doing well,” she says, chin held high. Her confident act isn’t convincing at all.

“Oh?” Cloud prods casually. It’s kind of amusing to see how much she’ll spill all on her own, and whether she’ll crumble at some point.

“Yep. But you better not be hoping that I’ll share any of the dirty details—” Tifa cuts herself off when Cloud just raises an eyebrow in surprise. She blushes brightly and rushes out, “Not that there’s anything to share yet! Or ever! But if there _was_ —!” She groans, burying her face in her hands as her ears turn red, and Cloud can’t hold back his laughter anymore. She peeks out at him between her fingers and says miserably, “I hate you.”

“I did _nothing_ ,” he points out. “That was _all_ you.”

Tifa groans again, almost a growl this time. “Can we just pretend that never happened?”

“We’ll see.”

“Oh look, we’re here!” she says, glancing out the back of the wagon. She gives a relieved sigh and jumps off before it’s stopped moving. The driver glances back in wide-eyed fear when he hears her land.

“She’s fine,” Cloud says, rolling his eyes and waving a hand dismissively. He hands over the money for the ride and follows her, ignoring the driver’s panicked squawks.

“So, what do you wanna take a look at first?” Tifa asks, hurrying ahead of him so he can’t see her face.

Cloud just laughs and speeds up to keep up with her. “You pick. I’ve got some things I need, but not really in a rush today. Are you?”

She chances a glance at him, relaxing a bit. She shakes her head with a smile. “Not at all! That mean I get you all to myself today?” she teases. The blond glances away, rubbing the back of his neck, and Tifa laughs. “I’ll take that as a no, then.”

“…Most of the day,” he hedges guiltily.

Tifa shrugs, still smiling. “I guess that’ll just have to do, then.”

* * *

For all of Tifa’s hesitance to take the carriage, she’s grateful for it by the time they’re done. Cloud’s hauling a heavy bedside table and a bag of books, while she’s got a chair for each of their apartments, a few new posters, and some fancy lights to string around the room. The driver grimaces when he sees them waiting and pats his chocobo’s head pityingly, but says nothing as they climb on.

They only stop at the apartments long enough to drop everything off before heading back out. Tifa heads for Seventh Heaven, and Cloud is just about to continue on down the road when he notices how she’s frozen in the doorway. He creeps up the stairs next to her and asks, “What’s wrong?”

She gives a tiny, weak smile as she whispers, “It’s sweet, huh? Like a real family or something.”

Cloud follows her gaze to find Aerith sitting on a stool with Marlene in her lap, Barret leaning over the bar to ruffle his daughter’s hair with a soft smile. He doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t get a chance to figure it out, either, because Barret glances up at them suddenly and grins. Aerith turns around with a blinding smile and sets Marlene down before hurrying over to them.

“Tifa! Cloud!” she says excitedly, grabbing one of Tifa’s hands in both of her own. “I’m glad you’re back, we were just about to—”

Cloud shakes his head and backs away down the steps. “I was just… stopping to say hi,” he says with a short wave at all of them. Barret nods in greeting and Marlene waves back frantically.

“Oh. Okay,” Aerith says, looking slightly disappointed. “Well, have a good night, then. See you tomorrow?”

“’Course,” he says with a small smile. “I’ll pick you up before the show.”

She nods, smile reappearing. “’Kay.” She turns back to Tifa, who waves at Cloud before following Aerith inside. “We were gonna play darts, do you—?”

The door swings shut behind them, cutting off her voice. Cloud stares at it for a long moment, tempted to go in to make sure Tifa’s okay, but eventually he continues on his way. If she needs help, or even just someone to talk to, she’s not afraid to ask for it.

* * *

“Come in,” Andrea calls the moment that Cloud knocks on his door.

Cloud chuckles and heads inside, tugging off his shoes before leaning over the back of the couch to kiss his boyfriend. Andrea’s hand lingers on his face, thumb stroking over his cheek, and he leans into it for a few moments before circling around to sit next to him. “What’ve you been up to today?” he asks curiously.

Andrea smiles softly. “A few of my bees surprised me by dragging me out for a day on the town. On the plate, even. It… it’d been a while.”

“Have a good time?”

He nods. “Very.” Snickering, he adds, “You should’ve seen the look on Sophia’s face when we all showed up at her house to steal her away.”

“Surprised? Excited?”

“ _Terrified._ ” Cloud chokes on a laugh, and Andrea asks, “What about you, my dear?”

“Mm. Spent most of the day with Tifa. Bought some stuff.”

“‘Stuff?’” he echoes with an amused grin.

“…Little bit of furniture. Books. Stuff for the apartment.”

“Sounds like a day well spent.”

“I guess.”

“I have to admit to being a bit selfish, though,” Andrea says, but he’s still grinning.

Cloud’s brows furrow. “What d’you mean?”

“As much fun as I had, I couldn’t help but wish I was here with you instead, honey.” Cloud doesn’t know whether it’s because he’s trying so hard to let his guard down with Andrea or because he’s already on edge about Tifa, but it bothers him more than usual. _Shows_ a little more than usual. He rolls his eyes, teeth gritted, and Andrea catches it. His eyes narrow in confusion. “What?”

The blond looks away, crossing his arms uncomfortably, but Andrea just keeps watching him expectantly. Sometimes Cloud hates his persistence. He sighs. “It’s just… really annoying when you call me that when we’re alone,” he says, pushing past his discomfort and taking the time to find the least accusatory phrasing he can. Tries to remind himself that it isn’t fair to get mad about something that Andrea has no way of knowing.

Luckily, Andrea knows better than to take it at face value when he gets defensive. “Why does it bother you?” he asks, waiting patiently for Cloud to find the right words and the courage to say them.

Cloud tenses instinctively, shoulders hunching up, then looks to the ground and breathes deeply until he relaxes slightly. He takes a few seconds to sort through his thoughts, licks his dry lips, and admits quietly, “It feels like it’s all just a part of the performance when you call me that. Call me whatever you want, just… not ‘honey.’ Not when it’s just us.” He chances a glance up and catches Andrea’s expression of dawning comprehension before he has to look away again.

Andrea gently catches Cloud’s chin and forces him to look at him. He waits until his boyfriend meets his eyes before saying softly, easily, “Okay. If you don’t like it, then I’ll try not to say it anymore. I don’t want you to be afraid of speaking your mind with me, okay?” Cloud snorts, and he quirks a small smile at him. “I know, easier said than done. But I want you to know that I’ll listen and take you seriously. I just need you to _say_ it when something bothers you, because as easy as it would make things, I’m not actually a mind reader.”

The blond laughs quietly. After a long minute, he says, “I’ll try.” Then he swallows and corrects himself, “I _am_ trying.”

“I know you are, baby, and I appreciate it.” Cloud flushes, eyes widening in surprise at his own reaction, and Andrea chuckles. “I take it that one’s alright, then?”

He glances away, then sighs in exasperation with himself and forces his eyes back to Andrea’s. “Yeah,” he forces out, “It’s fine.”

“Okay,” he says, wrapping Cloud in a tight hug and pressing a kiss to his temple. “Good to know.” Cloud tilts his head up to catch his lips and _that_ , at least, he can understand without words: all is forgiven.

* * *

Cloud is a bit surprised that he keeps his word, even though he knows he shouldn’t be; Andrea’s always been careful about respecting his boundaries, even while prodding enough to make him change them. But sure enough, Andrea starts leaving “honey” for the stage and anything else he can think of for any other time. (Although he usually sticks to the same pet names he’s always used, he occasionally goes for new ones, which come in varying degrees of sweet, embarrassing, and sometimes just plain ridiculous. Aerith actually chokes from laughing too hard when she overhears “snickerdoodle,” and Cloud suddenly deeply regrets his wording in telling Andrea that he could call him whatever he wanted.)


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guys. I dunno why, but my brain only seems to want to do short chapters lately :/

Cloud can’t seem to keep the smile off his face as he heads upstairs with Andrea after their latest performance. It was a great show, everybody more energetic than ever and the crowd eating up every moment of it. He’s worked up a sweat _and_ an appetite, but leaving right away doesn’t sound appealing at all. So he doesn’t, instead waiting until they reach Andrea’s apartment to ask, “Mind if I shower here?”

“Of course not, dear. Want me to get you a change of clothes from downstairs?”

“Hmm sure,” Cloud replies before leaning in for a kiss. “Thanks.”

“No trouble at all, sweetheart.”

Cloud heads through Andrea’s room to the bathroom, letting the water warm up before climbing in with a quiet sigh. It’s easy to forget sometimes how nice hot showers are. He tries to focus on getting clean and getting out, not wanting to waste it, but can’t resist taking just a few extra minutes to linger in the relaxing warmth. As he shuts off the water and dries off, he can hear clanging coming from the kitchen and grins to himself: seems like Andrea read his mind.

He exits the bathroom, snorting when he spots the stuffed chocobo on the dresser. Then he turns to the bed, and all sense of relaxation flies out the window when he finds the pile of clothes Andrea’s left for him: knee-length black dress, matching satin underwear, and all. He’d nearly managed to forget about _that_ particular conversation when Andrea hadn’t mentioned it again, but obviously _he_ hadn’t forgotten about it and was just waiting for the right time. _Is there such a thing as a_ _‘right time’ for this?_ that voice in the back of his head mocks. It’s been silent lately, and Cloud takes a deep breath and does his best to shut it up again. Pulls the clothes on with shaking hands, gasping quietly at the sensation and shifting until he feels something close to comfortable, then heads out to the kitchen.

Andrea turns with a cautious smile at the sound of his steps, watching his face carefully. Cloud swallows and tries to pretend that his face is only burning from the heat of the shower. When Andrea sets down his spoon and holds out a hand, Cloud takes it and lets himself be reeled in close for a kiss. He pulls back after a moment, head dropping to his boyfriend’s shoulder as Andrea’s arms wrap around his waist. He bites his lip, heart squeezing painfully; it feels like it might be the good kind of pain, but mostly it just feels like he's overwhelmed. His arms come up to clutch at the back of Andrea’s shirt, holding him tightly, and they stay standing there until a timer goes off.

“Alright, sweetheart?” Andrea asks quietly as Cloud pulls away.

He takes a deep breath and nods. “Think so.”

“Okay. Why don’t you take a seat? Dinner’s just about done.” The blond nods again and slides onto one of the stools, twitching slightly and trying to be subtle as he wiggles around to get comfortable again. He’s thankful when Andrea pretends not to notice, instead turning back to the stove and returning to his normal volume as he jokes, “I swear, I worked up such an appetite out there I could eat a behemoth right now.”

Cloud chuckles. “Me too.”

Andrea sets a plate in front of him a minute later, and they eat in silence, Cloud hyperaware of every movement and mind racing in meaningless, jumbled circles. When they’re done, he stands up, grabbing their plates, and pauses. Remembering his crazy impulse from last time and realizing that he doesn’t _have_ to resist it anymore, he stoops slightly to kiss Andrea’s cheek before continuing on his way. The other man watches him with a soft smile.

They move to the couch once the dishes are done, and Andrea stares at him for so long that Cloud starts to fidget under his gaze. “What’s going on in there, darling?” Andrea asks eventually, tapping at Cloud’s temple.

The blond shrugs and glances away. “What d’you think?” he mutters.

“You’ll have to tell me. Not a mind reader, remember?” he says. His lips twitch into a small smirk, even as he takes Cloud’s hand and rubs his thumb soothingly over the back of it.

Cloud sighs, staring unseeingly out the window. “Don’t know. It’s kind of a mess up there right now,” he admits, huffing out a laugh.

“Anxious?”

He shrugs. “Kind of. Maybe. But also kind of…” Cloud trails off, shrugging yet again, not sure how to explain it. A positive feeling, but one he doesn’t quite have a word for. “…Grateful,” he eventually settles on.

“For what?” Andrea asks curiously, like he really has no idea.

Cloud frowns. “You,” he says like it should be obvious, because it _really_ should by now. “Being… _you_.” Before his boyfriend can reply, he smirks slightly, letting his eyes dart down to Andrea’s lips and linger there. Runs his hand slowly up his arm to his neck. “But mostly, I’m just thinking that I wanna kiss you right now.” A subject change, yeah, but not an untrue one. He’s starting to worry it might be an addiction—definitely not one he cares to quit, though.

“If you’re looking for my permission, you have it,” he says with a huff of laughter. Cloud echoes it and crawls across the foot of space between them, pulling the other man forward to brush their lips together, softly at first and then more intently. Andrea’s lips part for him when he sweeps his tongue over them, a quiet noise escaping his throat that makes Cloud shiver. One of Andrea’s hands winds into his hair and the other rests on his leg, fingers brushing back and forth idly over the border where skirt meets skin.

Cloud huffs after a minute, frustrated, and rises up onto his knees in an attempt to get closer. He isn’t even fully aware that he’s trying to swing a leg over Andrea’s lap until the hand on his thigh tightens slightly, stopping him and holding him in place. Cloud pulls back, blinking down at Andrea, breath coming a little more heavily. “…Sorry,” he says after a few seconds, slightly confused but aware that he’s definitely crossed some kind of boundary. He settles back on his heels, watching Andrea’s face carefully.

“No need to be, sweetheart,” Andrea says with a shake of his head. His smile seems genuine enough, if maybe a bit tense, so Cloud just nods and backs off.

“Wanna… watch a movie or something?” he asks, grasping at the first thing that pops into his head. Andrea nods and gestures for Cloud to pick something from his collection. He grabs the first thriller he finds and sets it up before returning to the couch, sitting stiffly until his boyfriend pulls him closer with an arm around his shoulders. Andrea kisses his temple and silently encourages him to lay down, head in his lap. He does, relaxing more as fingers card softly through his hair.

Awake but mind drifting, a thought comes to Cloud that makes him laugh to himself a bit: for all that Andrea encourages him to say what’s on his mind and to communicate wants and limits, sometimes he kind of sucks at it himself. Not that Cloud minds much. It’s a little unnerving at times like this, when he’s not quite sure what buttons he’s pushed, but he’s always been better with actions than words anyways—not just when it comes to _doing_ them, but _understanding_ them, too. Besides, they’re both still working on it.

They’ll help each other get there eventually.


	27. Chapter 27

It’s been a busy week, in and out of the Watch and Seventh Heaven and running around doing the odd jobs that have been piling up through Wymer. Cloud only sees Andrea onstage each night and for a few stolen minutes afterward, so on his day off, he decides to surprise him by showing up in the audience again.

In the back of his closet, he spots the black blouse and red skirt that had gotten such a good reaction from Andrea when he’d tried them on, and he laughs to himself as he changes into them. Then he does his makeup—still a little uneven, still a little too dark on the eyeshadow, but definitely improving—and heads out. Not a single head turns as he walks through Sector 7. It’s almost funny how quickly people get bored of gossip when you don’t give them the time of day.

He makes it to Wall Market without running into any trouble, and Alton greets him with his usual, “Good evening, Mr. Cloud,” albeit in a slightly more surprised tone than usual. Cloud just rolls his eyes and waves as he continues on into the main room. He manages to grab a seat just as the lights go down.

It’s strange from this side. When he’s on the stage with Andrea, he can almost imagine the audience is admiring how they are _together_. But here, in the crowd and without Aerith to distract him, it’s impossible to ignore the shouts and whispers about how beautiful Andrea is, how sexy and brilliant and graceful. All of him agrees. Most of him is proud. But a small part of him covets Andrea’s beauty, wants to hide him away from all these prying eyes and keep it only for himself. Cloud’s well aware of how asinine that desire is, but that doesn’t make it go away. He tries to focus on the pride instead.

Cloud can tell the moment his boyfriend spots him, eyes widening as a surprised grin stretches his face. For a few minutes, it gets a lot easier to ignore the people around him and focus on the performance (and if that mostly means Andrea whenever he’s onstage, then it’s nobody’s business but his own—and Andrea’s, judging by the amused, knowing looks he shoots him every once in a while). By the time that the show’s over, though, their words are starting to trickle back in. He makes his escape before the lights are even back up and heads upstairs, waiting at Andrea’s door until the other man appears.

Andrea freezes when he opens the door at the top of the stairs and spots him, blinking in surprise. “You got here more quickly than I expected,” he says, chuckling as he continues on and unlocks the door. Cloud doesn’t get much of a chance to respond, because Andrea’s on him the moment the door closes behind them, hands dropping to his hips as they kiss. When they part, Andrea rests his forehead against Cloud’s, eyes trailing over him. “Mm look at you, baby…” It doesn’t quite roll off his tongue the way the other names do, but somehow it’s all the more effective for it, for the fact that Cloud knows it’s an entirely conscious choice. He bites his lips for a moment before deciding that kissing Andrea’s would be a much better use of his time.

Eventually they separate long enough to move to the couch, though they don’t go far, curled up closely and facing each other. Cloud stares at Andrea for a long minute, silent, and can’t quite resist the frown that tugs at his lips when his earlier thoughts resurface.

“What’re you thinking, sweetheart?” Andrea asks, caressing his face and running a thumb over his cheek.

For a moment, Cloud considers lying. He shoves the urge down and closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to meet his boyfriend’s gaze when he admits, “That I wanna show everyone you’re mine.” He feels a little sick just saying it aloud; it’s selfish and possessive and _stupid_ and he knows it.

“Then do it,” Andrea says simply.

Cloud’s eyes fly open again to find Andrea watching him with a small smile, head tilted. “I don’t think you get it… I mean _everyone_ ,” he confesses quietly. “Wanna get up onstage and kiss you senseless in front of the whole goddamn audience, every single admirer you’ve got out there.”

Andrea’s smile grows slightly, and he leans in to press their foreheads together. “Then _do it_ ,” he repeats, voice dropping lower. Cloud swallows.

“You’re crazy.”

“For enjoying your idea?”

“For always humoring _my_ crazy.”

Andrea chuckles. “Not _just_ humoring you, my dear, I promise,” he says, fingers curling around the blond’s neck to trace lightly up and down his nape.

Cloud twitches slightly, breath hitching, and Andrea’s eyes narrow like he’s filing that away for later. (It’s not the first time Andrea’s given him that look, and _god_ , he doesn’t know whether to be excited or terrified for the payoff whenever that time comes.) Cloud kisses him and murmurs against his lips, “Then that just makes you even crazier,” grinning at the laugh it earns him.

* * *

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Huh?” Cloud glances up at Cash, who’s watching him get ready with an almost concerned look.

He laughs. “I said ‘what’s wrong with you?’ You’re all… antsy and spaced out.”

Cloud glances away. “Guess I’m just a little nervous.”

“About?”

“…Nothing.”

“Uh-uh, none of that!” Cassius scolds, coming to stand over his shoulder and meeting his eyes in the mirror. He’s grinning. “You don’t get to throw something like that out there and then be all vague and mysterious.”

“Nothing mysterious about it. Just… don’t know what to say.” It’s true. What the hell could he possibly say to explain the unbelievably stupid thing he’s about to do? The unbelievably stupid thing Andrea’s _letting_ him do? Still, Cloud knows Cash won’t let it go without a fight, so he throws out, “You’ll see in a bit.”

“…Fine, spoil sport. You better not be lying.”

“I’m not.” _Assuming I have the guts to go through with it,_ he adds mentally. Cloud finishes getting ready in silence, slips on the earrings and necklace, and takes a deep breath before he heads downstairs. He’s not part of the first dance, but he suddenly wishes he’d come down sooner anyways, early enough to catch Andrea backstage. It’s too late now though, so Cloud watches his boyfriend for a minute before turning his gaze out to scan the vague shapes of audience members. There’s a blur of pink in the corner that he knows is Aerith, and a few other spots of color that he thinks he recognizes as regulars, but he can't make out anyone's faces. Thank god.

The song changes, and he straightens up, chin lifting as he walks out onto the stage. Andrea greets him with a kiss to his knuckles before they step into position. The dance is fast and sensual, and it only rockets his adrenaline up higher. Cloud freezes somewhere in the middle of it, pulling Andrea to a stop with him, and does his best to ignore the confused stares of the Honeygirls and boys as they continue dancing around them. He slides his hand up to the back of Andrea’s neck and pauses for a moment, watching his face for any sign of second thoughts, but Andrea just flashes him a small, quick smile. Cloud swallows and yanks him forward, lips and teeth clashing before they tilt their heads and settle into a rhythm. His nails scratch across the other man’s neck, other hand still clutching tightly to his shoulder, and his blood sings with Andrea’s moan. He has to pull away after a minute and step back to stop himself from trying to take it any farther, but he can’t resist one more taste when Andrea takes a half-step, following after him thoughtlessly. When they finally part again, their lips hover closely as they pant, breathing each other’s air. It’s a long minute before Cloud’s pulse settles enough to let him hear anything else.

As the rest of the world slowly filters back in, the first thing he notices is that some poor (probably utterly exasperated) member of the crew has had to loop the song. He chuckles breathlessly against Andrea’s lips, ignoring the questioning look he gets in return.

The second thing is the roar from the audience, so loud that he can’t quite believe it didn’t break through his haze sooner. It’s difficult to pick out any individual shout, but if there’s any anger, it’s drowned out by the excited hollering and wolf whistles. Cloud smirks, even as he feels the heat spreading over his cheeks.

“Way to give ‘em a show, darling,” Andrea says. His voice is light, but his dark eyes don’t leave Cloud for a moment.

* * *

Where Andrea draws the line between them seems to change from one day to the next, and it’s all Cloud can do to stumble along after him and try not to cross it. Unlike Andrea, he doesn’t quite have the nerve to just _ask_ , even though it would probably make everything a lot easier. Andrea never actually seems _upset_ when he brushes up against those lines, though, which is kind of… _strange,_ to say the least.

So when they make their way upstairs after the show and Andrea kisses him hard and practically pulls him into his lap, Cloud has a moment of wild confusion, because isn’t this the exact same thing he _stopped_ him from doing just a few days ago?

Cloud pulls back slightly, staring at his boyfriend with furrowed brows. He’s wearing that look, the one that says he’s worried he’s taken something too far, and suddenly Cloud remembers what he’d asked after their date and the pieces all click into place in his head. And really, with the way Andrea _is_ , he should’ve realized a lot sooner: it has absolutely nothing to do with _Andrea_ _’s_ boundaries, and everything to do with what Andrea thinks _his_ boundaries are (or worse, maybe just what he thinks they _should_ be). It’s… somehow sweet and aggravating at the same time.

Mostly the latter, though. By far.

“You—” He pulls away, moving to sit against the opposite end of the couch, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as he searches for the right words.

“Darling…?” Andrea questions with a frown.

Cloud tries again, gritting out, “ _You_ _… are…_ ” He huffs out a laugh, but it barely softens his glare. “Infuriating.”

“What—?”

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, tries to quell the anger. “For someone who’s always saying you can’t read minds, you sure have a bad habit of _acting_ like you can.” Andrea still looks confused, so Cloud clarifies, “You said I should tell you if something bothers me, right? So _this_?” He gestures meaninglessly between them. “ _This_ bothers me. A lot. _You_ don’t get to decide what I’m okay with and what I’m not.”

“…Ah.”

“What, no argument?”

“…No,” Andrea says, shaking his head. His eyes close briefly, an almost pained expression crossing his face. He opens them again and meets Cloud’s eyes. “Only an apology. You’re right, of course. I’m sorry, my dear, I shouldn’t have made assumptions. I was only trying to avoid pushing you too far too quickly.”

Cloud searches Andrea’s face, softening a tiny bit when he sees that he’s being genuine. “…Apology accepted,” he says. “How about this? You let me decide for _myself_ what I do or don’t want, and I’ll _tell_ you if something’s not okay.” He’s trying to be reasonable and mature and actually _talk_ through this, but it comes out harsher than he intends. He’s still a little pissed. Although it seems obvious, just to be safe, he tacks on, “And you do the same.”

Andrea stares at him for a long moment before nodding. “Okay. That seems fair.”

“Good.” Cloud sighs, all the fight leaving him at Andrea’s agreement. He’s left feeling awkward—obviously they aren’t going back to what they were doing before, but he doesn’t exactly want to _leave_ , either—and just the tiniest bit guilty for making as big of a deal about it as he did. Andrea stands, and an unexpected rush of fear hits him, but the other man only moves to the kitchen. He putters around for a few minutes before returning with two mugs and an apologetic smile.

“Tea. Herbal, so no caffeine,” he explains as he hands one of the mugs over.

Cloud huffs out a laugh as he takes it, breathing in the sweetly scented steam. “Thanks,” he says quietly. Andrea hesitates before leaning down to kiss the top of his head. He takes a seat at the other end of the couch again, but Cloud slides closer to rest his head on his shoulder. He focuses on the tea for a few minutes, drinking slowly, but eventually says, “’m sorry. For blowing things out of proportion.”

Andrea shakes his head and wraps an arm around the blond’s shoulders. “You had every right to be upset, sweetheart. I should’ve just talked to you in the first place.”

“Still. Probably should’ve cooled off a little first before I said anything.” He gives a short, wry laugh. “Guess we both learned our lessons, huh?”

“…I suppose so.”

“…It alright if I still stay here for a while?”

“Of course, darling,” Andrea replies, squeezing his shoulder. Cloud doesn’t look up, but he can hear the hint of a real smile back in his voice. “I’ve missed having you around all week, you know.”

He huffs out another laugh, because maybe—just maybe—they’re ridiculous enough that his friends’ teasing is all justified. “Yeah. Missed you, too.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit, I totally forgot it was Cloud's birthday until I got a recommended article from Google about it today lmao. But once I was reminded, I felt like I _had_ to write a special chapter for the birthday boy! This is going up unedited (for now. I should probably have time to look over it tomorrow), both because I wanted to get it out before it officially wasn't the 11th anymore (in my timezone) and because I'm dead tired. The ending is apparently what happens when I write half-asleep (and decide that Cloud deserves a little revenge for something that happened a while back), so... apologies if it's really as silly as it seems to me right now lol

“You’re coming with me again today,” Manda says the moment that Cloud walks through the Honeybee Inn’s doors. She starts dragging him along again, and he sputters.

“But—I don’t even—Today I’m just here to see—!” He stops, and Manda jerks to a halt, blinking at him in surprise.

“I know!” she says with a grin. “But I’ve got something to show you!”

“What…?”

She puts a finger to her lips. “Wouldn’t wanna spoil the surprise! Just come see!”

Cloud sighs. “Fine. Lead on.” Manda’s smile takes on a mischievous edge, and she grabs his arm to continue pulling him along. As she opens the doors to the main room, he asks, “Why are we go—?”

He’s abruptly cut off by a chorus of “Happy birthday, Cloud!” A loud noisemaker goes off and he jolts, turning to see Cash holding it up with an utterly unapologetic smirk.

“Happy birthday,” Manda repeats, squeezing his arm. She glances away, spotting Andrea walking towards them, and winks before wandering off.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Andrea says, chuckling. Tone lightly scolding, he adds, “I can’t believe you almost got away with not telling me.”

He wraps an arm around Cloud’s shoulders, and Cloud leans into him even as he tries to glare. “ _Why_ would you—? No, more importantly: _how_ did you even find out?” Andrea jerks his chin toward a table in the corner, and Cloud groans when he spots the members of Avalanche (plus Aerith). “Figures,” he mutters, scowling at Tifa, who’s standing with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth and wearing an enormous grin. She just waves and grins even harder in response to his look.

“Go get some food, darling.” Cloud grumbles something under his breath, and Andrea laughs and starts leading him over to the little buffet table they’ve set up. He nudges him forward and leans back against the booth. “Go on, dig in, or I’ll just feed you myself.” The blond darts a panicky look at him, wide-eyed and flushed, and moves to grab a plate. “Not a fan of that idea, hm?” Andrea asks, amusement still clear in his voice.

Cloud focuses his gaze on the food as he mutters, “…Not with _everyone I know_ around, anyways.”

Andrea’s smile grows, utterly delighted and not making any attempt to hide it. “I suppose that’s fair, but I hope you know that I _will_ remember that later.” Cloud doesn’t look up or justify him with a response. Andrea watches him for a few more moments before turning away to shout, “Pyra, dear? If you’d mind?” She nods from across the room and hops up onto the stage, disappearing through the doorway. She returns a minute later as quiet music fills through the room, and gives him a thumbs up. Cloud’s head tilts, straining to pick up the notes. “You remember this song?”

“How could I forget?” Cloud asks, the quiet smile on his face ruining the attempted sarcasm. He glances up at Andrea and rolls his eyes when he catches the look on his face. He sets his plate down and moves back to his boyfriend, running a hand through his short hair before wrapping it around the back of his head and pulling him in for a short kiss. Softer, he says, “Course I do. It was the first time we danced together.” Andrea squeezes his free hand, his tender smile sending a flood of warmth through Cloud’s chest. He squeezes back and gives him another quick peck before pulling away to finish filling his plate. Then he leads Andrea over to the corner table.

As they approach, Barret leans back in his chair and bellows, “And here comes the birthday boy himself!” They sit down, and he grins. “This makes you two now, right, Spike?” Cloud glares, but it only makes him laugh. “C’mon, I’ve got a _right_ to hold that one over your head and you know it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, asshole,” Cloud mutters with a roll of his eyes. He takes a few bites just to give himself something to do, but is distracted when Tifa reaches across the table to squeeze his hand.

“Happy birthday, Cloud,” she says, happy and sweet and genuine, and he could _almost_ forget that she’s the cause of this whole overblown thing in the first place.

“…Thanks,” he says eventually, because it’s really not worth the energy to call her out on it. He returns to eating and lets the noise flow in one ear and out the other for a few minutes as the others chatter and gradually come and go to fill their own plates. Eventually, though, Andrea’s unnatural stiffness beside him catches his attention. Cloud gives him a questioning look, but his lips just twitch up into a brief smile. It’s probably meant to be reassuring, but it’s gone so quickly that it might as well never have been there. The blond frowns, but finally gets it after a long moment. He takes a deep breath, reaches down to interlock their fingers, and drops their hands onto the table as casually as possible. Aerith makes a tiny, gleeful noise. Cloud sets his fork down, biting his lip for a moment as he glances around the table. Then he gestures to the girls and says, “You already know these three, but that’s Barret, Biggs, and Wedge. Everyone, this is Andrea.”

Barret snickers. “Nice to meet you for real this time,” he says, smirking at Cloud, who turns bright red and avoids his eyes when he remembers the night that they’d _almost_ met.

“Good to meet you, man,” Biggs says. He starts to lift his right hand, then quickly drops it when he notices that Cloud is still very pointedly clutching to Andrea’s hand. He holds out his left for a slightly awkward handshake, and they both chuckle.

“Yeah, it really is!” Wedge agrees enthusiastically. “Me and Jessie come to your shows sometimes, and they’re always really cool! Plus, you know, Cloud is alw—” He grunts quietly as Jessie elbows him in the ribs.

“Come on, Wedge, can’t give away _all_ a girl’s secrets!” she says, cheerful but pointed. Cloud splutters, eyes narrowing, but she just gives an unconvincingly oblivious smile.

The song changes, and Aerith stands abruptly. “Ah, I love this song! Cloud! Dance with me?” she asks, holding a hand out. He stares at it for a long moment, brows furrowed, and she pouts. “ _Please?_ ” she whines. Eventually he nods, and Andrea lets go of his hand so he can take Aerith’s.

“I call next dance!” Jessie says. Cloud eyes her suspiciously, and she turns her nose up sulkily. “I meant with _Aerith_ , not _you_.”

“Let’s go up on the stage!” Aerith says, already dragging him away from the table. “I’ve always wondered what it feels like up there!”

“You know it’s not gonna be any different right now than—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she says, waving dismissively. When they make it onto the stage, a fair distance from the others, she puts her hands on his shoulders and starts swaying, putting up an act but obviously not actually focused on dancing. Quietly, she admits, “I’ve actually never heard this song before in my life. It was good timing, though. You doing okay?”

“Huh?”

“I could tell that was all getting to be a bit… much for you. Thought you might wanna escape and take a minute to breathe.”

“…Thanks,” Cloud says, but after a moment’s thought adds, “It wasn’t _that_ bad.” He takes one of her hands and lifts it, gently urging Aerith into a twirl, and she grins. “I mean. It _was_ , but I’m pretty much used to all of ‘em at this point.”

“…Okay. Good.”

They fall silent and dance for the rest of the song, but when they return to the table, Cloud finds Biggs in his spot, having a quiet, muttered conversation with Andrea. “—cky guy,” he’s saying. Andrea looks like he’s been caught off guard, but nods all the same.

“I know.”

“So… I dunno, I’m not good at this shit, man. ‘M not usually the one to have these talks. Just… be good to him, okay?” Cloud sighs loudly, pointed, and jostles the chair. Biggs jumps up and stares at him with wide eyes, then rubs the back of his neck and chuckles awkwardly. “Hey, Cloud! Buddy! That was faster than expected! Sorry, didn’t mean to steal your spot, I’ll just… go… now.”

Biggs moves back around to the other side of the table, and Cloud rolls his eyes as he sits back down. “Were you really just trying to _threaten_ my boyfriend?” he asks flatly, not quite meeting the other man’s eyes.

“Wha—I wouldn't—!” He gives an uncomfortable, high-pitched laugh, and Andrea chuckles and jumps in to save him.

“No threats involved, sweetheart. Just… a conversation,” he says with a wink at Biggs.

“ _Sure_ ,” Cloud drawls disbelievingly, but he lets the subject drop. Andrea rubs soothingly between his shoulder blades and he melts into it as the tension dissipates. He glances around the table just in time to catch Biggs giving Andrea a considering look and nodding to himself.

“Finished already, dear?” Andrea asks when Cloud makes no move to go back to his food.

He nods. “Yeah. Grabbed too much.”

“Can’t blame you,” Wedge says, rubbing his belly and aiming a bright smile at Andrea. “It _all_ looks and tastes delicious!”

Andrea chuckles. “I’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to Jak and Pyra. They did all the cooking for today.” He pauses, glancing around with a sly smile. “Well, if Cloud’s done eating, then I think it’s time for his present,” he says, loudly enough that the people at the tables around them can hear. “What do you all think?”

Manda and Cash holler excitedly, and everyone else chimes in their agreements. Cloud looks around in confusion. “What the hell did you guys do?” he questions warily.

“Come on, up you go. Follow me, and you’ll see soon enough,” Andrea replies, leading them backstage and down the halls to a door that Cloud didn’t even know existed. “I admit that you might consider it to be… _too much_ , but…”

“But we _all_ chipped in,” Lori says, bouncing up beside him with a grin. On her other side, Tifa nods in agreement.

Andrea pushes open the door, holding it wide, and Cloud brushes past him into a blocked off alleyway with a gasp. “Holy shit,” he breathes. He raises the back of his hand to his mouth for a minute, then drops it. “You all—what— _holy shit. How—?_ ”

Jessie holds up a curled up magazine, unfurling it to show the cover image of the Hardy-Daytona. “Never try to say that I don’t pay attention,” she says with a wink.

“Like it?” Manda asks, coming to lean on his shoulder. He doesn’t look away from the gorgeous bike again, but Cloud can _hear_ her smug smile.

“I— _yeah_ , of course,” Cloud replies, because what the hell else would he say? He reaches out hesitantly, as if it’ll disappear the moment he tries to touch it. It stays solid under his hand, and he lets out a quiet sigh. “This— _really?_ ” he asks, glancing around the crowded alleyway. The only response is a whole lot of grins and nods, and a couple of giggles. “Fuck. I just… Thank you, everyone. I can’t believe you… _Fuck!_ ” he repeats with feeling. There are quite a few more giggles, but he can’t bring himself to care even the slightest bit.

* * *

“Did you enjoy your birthday, baby?” Andrea asks, once Cloud’s finally managed to drag himself away from his gift and join him up in the apartment.

He runs a hand over his face, still a little overwhelmed. “…Yeah. Yeah, I did. _Thank you_ for… for setting it all up, and… _everything_.”

“Mm it was at least as much Tifa’s doing as my own,” Andrea says, shaking his head. “You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was for us to set it all up without you catching wind of it.”

Cloud snorts. “Actually, I would. I’m pretty much always either here or at the bar.”

Andrea chuckles, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his temple. He hesitates before saying, “You know, I did lie about something earlier…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“When I said that Jak and Pyra did _all_ the cooking today. I did make _one_ thing myself, but I decided against bringing it down at the last minute because I was worried it might not be to your taste.”

“What is it?” Cloud asks, head tilted curiously. Andrea holds up a finger and disappears into the kitchen, rooting around in the fridge and cupboards for a minute before returning with a cake, hastily covered in candles. Cloud chuckles. “Really?”

“Really,” Andrea confirms with a small smile. He holds the cake up in front of his boyfriend. “Make a wish, my dear.” Cloud rolls his eyes, but after a few seconds, closes them and blows out the candles. “Wh—?”

Before the question even leaves his mouth, Cloud shakes his head and holds a finger up to his lips. “Not supposed to say, right?”

Andrea chuckles and nods. “Right, of course.” He moves back into the kitchen to cut the cake and comes back with a single slice on a saucer. Cloud reaches for it, but he holds it out of his reach with a smirk. He tsks and sits down, slicing off a small piece with the fork and holding it up to the blond’s mouth. Cloud stares at him, surprised and embarrassed, but after a long moment he leans forward slightly to eat it. Andrea grins and waits for him to swallow before asking, “What do you think? Too sweet for you?”

Cloud shakes his head, waiting until Andrea brings another piece to his mouth. He eats it, but catches the other man’s wrist as he moves to get another. Heart racing and fingers probably squeezing too hard, he catches Andrea’s eye as he wraps his lips around the fork again, sucking and licking the remaining bits of icing from it. The other man stares and curses under his breath, and Cloud sits back, licking his lips with a smug smile.

“Happy birthday to me.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for this chapter for mentions of nonconsensual kink (not involving the boys).

_Will I be seeing you today, sweetheart?_

Cloud smiles down at his phone when he digs it out of a drawer and sees the message, then mentally kicks himself for his own sappiness. He grimaces as he spots the time next to the message; it was sent hours ago. Thank god Andrea knows better than to expect him to actually always remember that his phone exists.

The piece of paper on the nightstand catches his eye as he sets the phone down next to it. Cloud glances away. He’d been wrong when he told Andrea that he had his mom’s old potato casserole recipe; he didn’t have anything at all from his old life and isn’t sure why, for a minute, he’d thought that he did. After wracking his brain, he’d managed to remember most of it from the couple of times he’d helped her cook it, but bringing himself to actually _make_ it is… a different story entirely. Rubs at something that’s still a little too raw. So he does his best to ignore the scrap of paper (for the fourth day in a row) and sets about getting changed out of the outfit he’s spent all day fighting and being knocked to the dirt in. Stands indecisively in front of the closet for a bit, hovering between the skirts and pants. He eventually settles on a pair of jeans and a black and blue tunic top, slips on the necklace and an armlet (no need to put in the earrings, because he never even bothers to remove them anymore), then grabs the makeup bag Cash had given him after another few moments of hesitation.

Cloud leans over the sink as he gets to work, taking his time to make sure his hands don’t shake and to check for any mistakes after each step. When he’s finally finished, he leans away from the mirror to take in the full picture that’s sure to be a bit of a mess, and… blinks when it’s not. Closes his eyes for a few seconds, reopens them, and is surprised to see that his reflection still looks… good. It’s not perfect, not as good as Cash’s work or that of any of the women he knows, but it’s _good_. No smudges, no horribly uneven coloring.

It takes him a few minutes to back away and leave his apartment, a kind of disbelieving pride leaving him a little dazed. Tifa’s the only one there when he wanders into Seventh Heaven, and she watches him curiously for a minute before coming out from behind the bar. “You seem happy,” she observes, smiling. “Something good happen?” Cloud shakes his head, because it sounds stupid in his mind no matter how he tries to word it. Tifa tilts her head thoughtfully and examines him from head to toe before grinning. “You look good!” she says simply before turning around to go back to her post. He takes a seat at the bar and tries to ignore the pride that swells up again from her compliment.

“Not staying long today,” Cloud says before gratefully chugging down the glass of water she slides across to him. “Just wanted to see if Wymer talked to you and if there are any new requests.” He’d asked the man to start leaving any jobs with Tifa; since she hears plenty of talk around the bar and ends up with requests for him, too, it would just be simpler if everything’s in one place.

Tifa nods. “He did. Nothing new yet, though; you’re free for today,” she says with a grin. “Oh! But someone did bring by the payment for one of your last jobs this morning!” She holds up one finger, dashing for the backroom, and returns with an orb of glowing blue materia.

Cloud takes it and looks it over with one eyebrow raised, impressed. “Thanks,” he says as he shoves it into his bag and stands.

“Mmhmm. Heading out already?” He nods. “Alright. Have a good time!”

He grunts in acknowledgment and waves before ducking out the doors. For a moment, Cloud considers taking the motorcycle— _desperately_ wants to, really—but leaving it unsupervised in Wall Market would be begging for disaster. The only way it wouldn’t get stolen is if he dragged it through the halls to that hidden alley behind the Honeybee Inn, which… probably isn’t worth the hassle _or_ the annoyance it would cause everyone else, sadly. He sighs and starts walking.

* * *

When Cloud arrives, he finds Andrea agitated, pacing the floor with a look on his face that Cloud has only seen once before—what feels like ages ago, when he was angry with himself for slipping up and pairing Lori with him. He jumps when Cloud takes his hand but lets himself be led to the couch and gently pushed down.

“What’s wrong?” he asks quietly, propping his sword against the wall and circling around behind the couch. Andrea resists for a moment, tense, when he starts rubbing his shoulders, but he eventually sighs and leans into it slightly.

“Nothing you can help with, dear,” Andrea says, patting his hand. “It’s already taken care of; don’t worry about it.”

“ _You_ _’re_ obviously worrying about it,” he points out, brows furrowing, “So why shouldn’t I? Might not be able to help, but I can at least listen.”

Andrea tips his head back against the couch, searching Cloud’s face. He huffs out a quiet laugh when Cloud kisses him, upside-down and clumsy. “Alright,” he says after a few seconds, lifting his head again as his boyfriend continues massaging his shoulders and neck. His muscles tense again as he thinks about it, aching for a fight, and he forces them to relax one by one. “Scotch came by today, felt like he was… _entitled_ —” he spits the word out, disgusted. Cloud’s fingers pause for a moment at the name and the anger in his voice, but he says nothing. “—To do whatever the hell he wanted, just because he _used_ to be one of Corneo’s men.”

“Did he try to hurt one of the girls?” the blond asks, teeth gritted, when Andrea doesn’t volunteer anything further.

“Not… _exactly_ ,” Andrea hedges, “But he _did_ try to push her into things she wasn’t okay with, and _kept_ pushing even after he was told to leave, hurling insults and using her job as an excuse. He _knows_ the rules around here, and there are others who would have been more than happy to cater to his… _particular tastes_. I can only assume he was drunk, but that doesn’t excuse it.” He growls low in his throat. “ _Hell_ did I want to punch him in that smug little mouth of his. Just because Corneo’s gone doesn’t mean I can stir up the hornet’s nest, though. We don’t know where he is, but I’m sure he’s not dead, and there are too many people involved in the power struggle in this town right now. It’s not safe, and _I_ _’m_ not the only one who could end up paying for it.”

“…Who was it?” Cloud asks, taking a step back.

“Pyra,” Andrea answers. As soon as the name leaves his mouth, Cloud is snarling and slinging his sword back on to head out. “Cloud, please. This isn’t your fight.”

The blond stares at him in confusion for a long moment before shaking his head. “I’m not going to kill Scotch—as much as I’d love to. I’m going to make sure she’s okay,” he says as though it’s obvious.

Andrea’s gaze softens, and he nods. “Okay. Thank you. I sat down with her earlier, but there may be things she feels more comfortable speaking with you about than with me.”

“I’ll come back when I’m done. It… might be a while.”

“I’d say I’d wait up, but it’s been quite a day. If I _do_ wind up falling asleep, wake me up when you get back,” he says with a small smile.

Cloud nods before darting out the door and down the hall to Pyra’s room. When he knocks on the door, Manda opens it. She looks nearly as surprised to see him there as he is to see her. She stares at him for a minute before asking over her shoulder, “Babe, are you okay with Cloud coming in right now, or should I tell him to come back tomorrow?” There’s no audible response, but when she turns back to him, Manda gives him a warning look before nodding and opening the door wider. She closes it behind him, then immediately takes a seat next to Pyra on the couch.

Pyra has her head in her hands, but when she feels Cloud standing over her, she wipes her tears away and gives him a weak smile. “Sorry,” she says with a self-deprecating laugh. “I must look like a mess right now.”

Before he can say anything, Manda smiles sadly and jokes, “You still look perfect even _with_ your mascara running like crazy.” She wipes at a smudge in demonstration, and it earns a laugh from the other girl that’s slightly more real, although it’s still followed by sniffles. Manda pulls her closer, letting Pyra rest against her, and whispers into her hair, “Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. You know Andi and I would _never_ let anything happen to you. I’m so sorry we didn’t make it there before he could scare you, though.”

Pyra wraps her arms around Manda’s middle tightly and says something that’s muffled by her shirt but sounds like, “Not your fault.” Unseen by her, Manda’s expression says that she disagrees.

Cloud sits down on the arm of the couch and rests a hand on Pyra’s shoulder. “If you need anything… I’m here.” She pulls away from the hug slightly to give him a small smile and nod, and when she turns away again, he looks to Manda and says quietly, “That goes for you, too.” Her face twitches for a few seconds, like she’s trying not to cry, and she looks like she wants to say something. In the end, she bites it back and just shakes her head.

They stay there for a long time, the silence only broken by Pyra’s sniffles and occasional stifled sobs. When she finally seems to have cried herself out, she sits up straight, not looking at them as she wipes away tear tracks and makeup. “I’m fine, really, it was only words, but I… don’t really want to talk about it,” she admits, finally looking to Cloud. He nods, but his need to do _something_ to help must show on his face, because she gives him a lopsided smile and says, “If you could get me a glass of water, though, that’d be great. I can feel a monster of a headache coming on.”

Cloud nods and moves to the kitchen, opening and shutting cupboard doors until he finds the cups. He does his best to ignore the girls’ whispers and waits until they quiet to head back into the living room. He hands Pyra the glass, and she downs half of it in one go. “Thanks.” Not meeting either of their eyes again, she eventually says, “I really appreciate you guys being here for me, but I think I wanna be alone for a while. Just need to sleep it off, I think.”

“Of course, if that’s what you want,” Manda replies, though she looks a bit worried. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

“And I’ll be at Andrea’s all night if you need anything,” Cloud adds. He hadn’t planned on it, but he doesn’t want to be out of reach if anything happens, and he’s positive that Andrea won’t mind.

Pyra nods. “Thanks, guys.”

They say their goodbyes and head out of the small apartment, both pausing outside the door. “…What was that about in there?” Cloud asks after a minute.

Luckily, Manda seems to understand what he’s referring to. She shrugs uncomfortably, arms crossed. “You shouldn’t have said that.” She glances at the door, then leads him down the hall a bit before continuing. “ _I_ _’m_ not the one who was hurt by this.”

“But Pyra being hurt hurts _you_ , too.”

She blinks at him in surprise but quickly turns away. “I don’t _deserve_ it, okay?!” she bites out, swiping irritably at her eyes. “I couldn’t even protect the woman I love from a fucking sleazeball like that! I don’t need your fucking comfort, _she_ does!”

“It’s not your fault that you can’t tell the future, but you _did_ protect her. You stopped it before things got any worse.”

“…What makes you say that?” Manda asks, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Because you’re the first person she would have gone to for help,” Cloud says like it’s obvious.

Manda stares at him, face twitching again, but this time she lets the tears fall after a few seconds. “I wish I could’ve done more,” she says, arms wrapped around her stomach as she curls in on herself.

Cloud steps forward, hesitating for just a moment before pulling her into his arms. “There was no way you could have known,” he says again, voice hushed.

Her whole body trembles, and he takes her weight as she practically falls into him, burying her face in his chest. Manda clings to his shirt with one hand, the other still clutching her stomach, and sobs, “I can’t stand seeing her like that!”

“I know,” he soothes, though it’s only partially true. He hopes he never has to learn the full truth, never has to see the person he loves in so much pain. “Pyra will be okay, though. You and Andrea stopped things from going too far; it seems like she was more upset by whatever he _said_ than by what happened. Besides… she’s strong. You know that.” Manda nods against him but says nothing more. They stand there in the middle of the hallway until her tears have dried, employees occasionally passing by with worried, questioning looks but saying nothing. Cassius looks at Manda with a sad but understanding expression before continuing on his way, and Cloud wonders worriedly how far word has spread. Gossip is the last thing Pyra needs to deal with right now.

“…Thank you,” Manda says eventually as she pushes away from him. “I’m alright now. I think I just needed to get that out. I’m gonna head back to my room.”

Cloud nods. “I’m just down the hall if you need me,” he reminds her. She nods, but he already knows she won’t take him up on the offer.

“If Pyra comes to you…” Manda starts in a warning tone, but she trails off. After a few seconds, she continues more quietly, her tone almost pleading. “You’d better take damn good care of her, okay?”

“Same to you,” he says, and she gives a half-smile.

“Obviously.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out in a long sigh before straightening up with a nod. “Right. I’ll see you… later, then, or tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Cloud agrees. “At least _try_ to get some sleep, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll try,” Manda agrees reluctantly. “Tell Andi I said thanks too, okay? He’s the one who actually kicked Scotch’s sorry ass outta here.”

“I will,” he promises.

“Thanks. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

They stand there awkwardly for a moment, then turn and go their separate ways. Cloud pauses at Andrea’s door and turns around, but Manda has already disappeared into her apartment. He sighs and heads inside.

Andrea takes one look at him and frowns. “It’s that bad, huh?”

Cloud shrugs. “Pyra’s freaked out, yeah, but honestly… I think Manda’s taking it harder than she is.”

The other man considers this for a few seconds and nods. “I guess that isn’t too surprising.”

“It’s not?”

Andrea’s brow furrows in confusion. “No… Why should it be? She’s always felt responsible for the other bees, especially Pyra. Anyone with eyes can see the way she looks at her.”

“…Oh.”

Andrea laughs. “You didn’t know, did you?”

“Not until she told me,” he admits, crossing his arms defensively.

“Well, that’s alright. I suppose that’s just part of your charm,” he says, half-teasing. Before Cloud can question what that’s supposed to mean, Andrea asks more seriously, “But they’re both alright? Or… they _will_ be, at least?”

“I think so. We’ll have to wait and see, though.” Cloud pauses, the awkwardness of his question only hitting now that he actually has to _ask_ it. The only times he’s actually stayed over are when they’ve both passed out on the couch. “Would you… Is it okay if I stay here for tonight?”

“Of course, darling,” Andrea answers. “You’re welcome to the bed; I’ll take the couch for the night.”

Always waiting. Still never pushing, even after their talk. Cloud wishes sometimes that he _would_ push; he never would’ve guessed that he’d have to be the one taking the lead so often in this relationship. He swallows down his nerves and says with a shake of his head, “No, I’m not gonna kick you out of your own bed.”

Andrea watches him carefully for a moment before asking slowly, “That doesn’t mean that _you_ _’re_ volunteering to take the couch. Does it?” Cloud shakes his head and Andrea takes a deep breath, nodding. “Okay then.”

Cloud finally takes a seat, squeezing briefly when Andrea takes his hand. “You seemed really tired. You should go get some sleep,” he says quietly.

“Mm, I _was_ ,” Andrea agrees, pausing to kiss Cloud and nuzzle into his neck, “But not anymore. You’re here now.”

The blond chuckles. “I think I can manage to entertain myself for a while.”

“Not the point.”

“Then what _is_ the point?”

“That I don’t want to waste our time together.”

Cloud can’t help the stupidly soft smile that he can feel growing across his face at the words. He forces a huff and a roll of his eyes. “We’ve got plenty of it, dork.”

“Still not the point,” Andrea says with a laugh. His eyes close, and Cloud can’t tell whether it’s from the force of his smile or his exhaustion.

“C’mon,” he says, nudging his boyfriend until he sits up. “Will you go to bed if I do too?”

“…Alright,” Andrea agrees reluctantly. He lets Cloud pull him up and lead him into the bedroom, then gestures toward the dresser as he peels off his shirt. “Borrow something if you want, doesn’t matter what,” he mumbles. Cloud nods and digs through the drawers until he finds a pair of sweatpants with a drawstring that he can cinch tighter. After a moment of hesitation, he slips into the bathroom to change, feeling more than a little silly. He hears Andrea call after him, “There are makeup wipes in the medicine cabinet if you want them.” He blinks in surprise when he finds the pack, pulling a few out and scrubbing his face clean. It’s hard not to regret how much time he spent on it without realizing just how little time was left in the day.

“‘Not tired anymore,’ huh?” Cloud asks with a smirk when he leaves the bathroom to find Andrea already in bed with his eyes closed.

“Not asleep,” Andrea counters, holding up the covers in invitation.

“Didn’t say you were. Mm… Hold on, I’ll be back in a second.” He retrieves his sword from the living room and props it up next to the bed, and Andrea opens his eyes to look at it with a sad smile.

“You don’t feel safe sleeping even when I’m beside you, hm?”

The blond scoffs. When he notices Andrea’s questioning expression, he looks away, staring at the weapon as he answers, “That just means I have one more thing to protect.”

The other man sighs, a bittersweet smile taking over his face. “Get over here, sweetheart,” he says softly. Cloud watches him for a moment before nodding. He flicks the light off and crawls into the bed, sliding closer when Andrea curls an arm around his waist. It takes a few minutes to get comfortable, resting one arm between their bodies and maneuvering the other around Andrea’s head to prop under his own. When he finally settles, Andrea kisses his forehead and whispers into his skin, “Goodnight, my dear.”

“Night.”

* * *

Cloud’s first thought when he wakes up is one of mild panic; there’s an unfamiliar weight keeping him trapped in place and the smell and feel of the bed he’s on definitely aren’t his own.

His second thought, as he remembers where he is, is that maybe he needs to learn how to control his fight-or-flight response to awakening with someone touching him, and that once he manages to relax it’s actually a surprisingly pleasant feeling (if maybe a bit too warm).

His third, once he finally opens his eyes, is that a still-sleeping, shirtless Andrea dappled in sunlight is a goddamn gorgeous sight that he could definitely get used to waking up to. Admittedly, it’s a little distracting, and Cloud spends a long time just looking and soaking in the feeling of waking up in someone's arms and wondering whether or not to wake Andrea up. It takes maybe a bit too long for the fourth thought to wander into his head, but once it does, he’s immediately easing out of his boyfriend’s hold with a muttered curse. He searches the dresser until he finds a light green t-shirt buried under some of Andrea’s flashier tops, then slips it on and creeps out of the apartment as quietly as possible.

Neither of the girls came throughout the night, which he _hopes_ means they slept through it and are doing better. Going off a hunch, though, he knocks on Manda’s door first. Sure enough, she opens it a few moments later and immediately puts a finger to her lips. She steps out into the hall despite her bedhead, short shorts, and oversized t-shirt. “She asleep?” Cloud asks quietly, nodding towards her apartment.

“Yeah. I think she was doing a little better by the—”

The door opens, and Pyra steps out, rubbing her eyes. “Mm, Manda, what’s—?” she starts blearily. Then she spots Cloud and blinks, putting on a small smile. “Oh. Morning, Cloud.”

“Morning.”

The way they both eye her must be too obvious, because Pyra rolls her eyes and insists, “I’m fine, guys. Told you I just needed to sleep it off. It wasn’t even what Scotch _did_ that upset me, just some of the shit he said, but…” She shrugs. “You get used to it, y’know? I was just already feeling kinda emotional yesterday, so it got under my skin more than it usually would. But I’m fine now. _Really_.”

Manda leans forward, peering into her eyes for a long moment before nodding. “’Kay,” she says, pulling her into a hug. “But you better not be lying just to make us feel better.”

“I’m not,” she says with a quiet laugh. She returns the hug, squeezing tightly for a minute, then backs off. Turning to Cloud, Pyra adds, “Thanks for coming to check on me.” Her eyes dart over to the other woman, a soft smile on her face. “And Manda.”

He nods uncomfortably. Apparently Manda feels a little awkward about it too, because she turns away from them for a moment, running a hand through her hair until it’s been tamed a bit. Eventually though, she glances at him over her shoulder and says, “Yeah… Thanks.”

Pyra pushes him gently, turning him towards the end of the hall. “Go on, get back to Andi now. We’re just fine, promise.”

“…Alright.” They say their goodbyes and disappear back into Manda’s apartment, so he follows her directions and heads back to Andrea. To Cloud’s utter lack of surprise, he’s still asleep. It’s almost tempting to crawl back into bed with him, but he resists the urge and wanders into the kitchen to make breakfast instead. When it’s done, he heads back to the bedroom with a tray and sets it on the nightstand. “Hey,” he says quietly, nudging Andrea’s shoulder. When that doesn’t work, he shakes him and says a bit louder, “Gotta wake up if you want food, sleepyhead.”

Andrea stretches slowly, smile stretching his face before his eyes even open. “Mm, good morning, sweetheart.”

“Morning.”

He sits up and glances to the tray. “Breakfast in bed, hmm? What’d I do to deserve this?”

Cloud snorts. “Slept in and left me with nothing better to do.”

“What happened to ‘I can entertain myself?’” Andrea asks with a teasing grin. The blond rolls his eyes and kisses him, both to shut him up and because he’s kind of wanted to since the moment he woke up. Andrea wraps an arm around Cloud to pull him closer and kiss his cheek. “Breakfast in bed _and_ good morning kisses _and_ you wearing my clothes? I really _am_ lucky today, aren’t I?”

He huffs out a laugh and moves the tray to Andrea’s lap, sliding back towards the center of the bed. “Just eat before it gets cold,” Cloud says, shaking his head in exasperation, but he’s well aware that the stupid smile he can’t hide is back.

“What about you, darling?” the other man asks, eyes twinkling mischievously. “Want me to feed you again?”

Cloud rolls his eyes again. “Stole some of your fruit while I was cooking,” he says, gesturing to the bowl with a smirk. “I’m good.”

“You _sure_?” Andrea drawls, holding the fork up near his face.

“ _Yes,_ ” Cloud says firmly, huffing and pushing Andrea’s hand back into his own space.

“Alright then,” he says with an overdramatic sigh. He starts eating, but stops after a few minutes, frowning as his eyes dart to the door.

“They’re fine,” Cloud says softly, reaching to squeeze his free hand.

“I should go check on—” Andrea starts, but Cloud shakes his head.

“Leave ‘em be.”

“But—ah,” he says, catching the look on his boyfriend’s face. “I see. You’re sure they’re okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright.” Andrea returns to his food, eating quickly. Once he’s done, he sets the tray aside in favor of pulling Cloud close again. He gives him a quick kiss before pulling back to look him over.

“…What?” Cloud asks after a minute, fidgeting.

Andrea shakes his head and pulls him into a deeper kiss. When they part, he grins and explains, “Was just taking a minute to admire the sight of you in my clothes, and how that shirt makes those lovely eyes of yours pop.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Cloud says, glancing away.

“Mm, no, just honest, dear. There’s a difference,” he insists, nuzzling at his jaw.

Cloud’s been doing his own share of ‘admiring,’ opens his mouth to try to admit as much, but the words stick in his throat. Instead, he dips his head to catch Andrea’s lips again, his own parting easily when Andrea’s tongue swipes across them. His boyfriend’s hand sinks into his hair, tugging slightly, and Cloud’s head jerks back as he moans at the unexpected flash of heat that sears through him. Andrea just turns his attention to kissing down his jaw and neck. Cloud hesitates, not wanting to bring things to a screeching halt like the last few times, but _goddammit_ all he ever wants is to get _closer_ , and frankly, crawling into Andrea’s lap still seems like the fastest way to reach that goal.

So he does, covers stretching awkwardly between them, and nearly sighs in relief when Andrea doesn’t stop him or pull away, only drops his hands to Cloud’s hips and reattaches his lips to his neck. He bites suddenly and Cloud gasps, one hand flying to the back of Andrea’s head while the other lands on his shoulder. He holds on tight, staring unseeingly at the wall over Andrea’s head as he sucks a bruise into the skin and then kisses it as if in apology. Cloud pulls him back into a messy kiss, nipping at Andrea’s bottom lip and grinning at the quiet groan it earns him.

Andrea’s hands drift up under his shirt, fingers skimming over his back, and Cloud shivers, instinctively trying to arch into the touch and away from the slight tickle of it at the same time. Andrea grins against his lips like he’s discovered a fascinating new game.

“ _Don_ _’t,_ ” Cloud warns. It comes out a little too breathy to sound like a serious threat, and Andrea lets his nails scratch lightly on the way back down before his hands settle at the small of Cloud’s back to shift him closer.

A loud, short tune plays suddenly, and they both jump. Cloud closes his eyes and lets out a slow exhale, irritated. “Important?” Andrea asks, nosing at his jaw.

Cloud glances to the clock to confirm that the notification is what he thinks it is. “…Unfortunately, yeah. Forgot I promised Tifa I’d cover for her today. She’s got a date today, and since none of the others know yet, she couldn’t ask anyone else.” Andrea hums curiously, but obviously isn’t expecting an actual answer.

“I suppose I should let you go, then.”

“S’pose I should go change out of these,” Cloud agrees, pulling at the shirt. When neither of them moves after a few seconds have passed, he huffs out a laugh. “Sorry,” he says with a kiss to Andrea’s cheek.

“Mm, don’t be, dear,” he replies, finally releasing his hold on the blond. “I’m a patient man.”

“ _I_ _’m_ not,” Cloud mutters as he climbs to his feet.

Andrea chuckles. “I may have noticed that,” he teases. “But you were right about what you said last night—we’ve got plenty of time, baby. No need to rush.”

“Using my own words against me, huh?” Cloud calls as he enters the bathroom, leaving the door cracked while he changes back into his outfit from the day before. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is you waking me up how you did,” Andrea retorts. “You’re already too hard to resist as it is, you can’t possibly expect me _not_ to want you when you're being so sweet and wandering around wearing my clothes, too.”

Cloud bites his lip hard and doesn’t respond for a minute as he checks his reflection; the hickey is glaringly obvious. His fingers trace over the healing materia in his armlet; it would be such a quick and easy fix, gone in a fraction of a second... He drops his arms, flicks off the light, and heads back to the bedroom, dropping onto the bed next to Andrea to steal one more kiss before he leaves. Smirking, he says, “I’ll keep that in mind, then,” and dodges out of Andrea’s reach when makes a grab for him. He pauses with his hand on the doorknob, smirk easing out into something a bit softer. “I’ll see you later. Have a good day.”

“You too, sweetheart. Good luck at the bar.”

Cloud nods, fighting the stupid urge to just skip out, to text Tifa to apologize and tell her he can’t make it. _It wouldn_ _’t be fair to her,_ he tells himself, and it’s not like she wouldn’t be able to guess at where he was anyways. He shakes his head and ducks out the door.

* * *

Tifa looks him up and down when he gets to Seventh Heaven, eyes lingering on his neck, and Cloud flushes. It occurs to him a bit too late that even if the thought of Andrea leaving a mark on him and the tiny prick of pain when he touches it send his heart tripping over itself, he probably still should have done _something_ to cover it up. She just silently arches a brow and trades places with him, though. “Thanks for doing this today,” she says, smiling as she interlocks her hands behind her back and stretches. “I… I’ll let the others know soon, I promise. It wouldn’t be fair of me to keep asking favors of you when you’ve already got so much on your plate.”

“I don’t mind,” he argues, and it’s mostly true—with the exception of today’s horrible timing (which is mostly his own fault for forgetting anyways), he really doesn’t. It’s not like _she_ isn’t busy too, after all.

“Still. Thank you.”

“Welcome.” Cloud waves a rag at her. “Now get outta here before you’re late.”

“Alright, alright,” Tifa says with a laugh. “I’m going, I’m going!”

As soon as the doors shut behind her, Cloud glances around and realizes that she’s already done all of the cleaning and preparation for the day; there’s nothing for him to do until the customers start trickling it, which probably won’t be for a few more hours still. He sighs and drags a stool behind the bar, resigning himself to a day of boredom, but his phone trills just as he sits down.

He pulls it out of his pocket, instinctively glancing around again to make sure he’s alone when he sees that it’s a picture of Andrea sprawled out on the sheets with an exaggerated pout. _Miss you already, dear._

Maybe not such a boring day after all.


	30. Chapter 30

Cloud finally remembers the gift he’d meant to give to Marlene when he digs through his bag for some materia and comes up with nothing but stuffed toys. He snorts and tosses most of them into the back of his closet. (He still has no idea what he’s supposed to do with them; maybe he’ll give _those_ to her over time, too. Or maybe he’ll hold onto them; they might be useless, but he doesn’t exactly own many things with memories attached to them.) Then he grabs the last one, the shiny rainbow gecko, and heads out, planning to stop at Seventh Heaven on the way to the Honeybee Inn.

“Hey, Tifa. Where’s Marlene?” he asks when he arrives.

Tifa returns the greeting and gives him a curious look, but jerks a thumb over her shoulder. “She’s in her room. You can head on back if you want.”

Cloud nods. “Thanks,” he says, heading down the hall behind the bar. He can hear Marlene’s voice as he approaches and pauses outside her open door, curious.

“Who _are_ you?” she’s asking, head tilted and tiny hand outstretched in front of her as she kneels on the floor. Cloud raises an eyebrow. For such a young kid, Marlene can act surprisingly adult sometimes; maybe that’s why he hadn’t pegged her as the type to have imaginary friends. It’s easy to see now what a stupid assumption that was, though. “Sorry, I don’t know who she is,” Marlene says, looking genuinely sorrowful. “I don’t think I can help you…”

“Marlene?” Cloud calls, leaning against the doorframe.

She jumps and turns to face him, eyes widening in fear. They dart to the empty air at her side one more time before focusing on Cloud’s face. “Yeah?”

“Calm down, it’s alright. I just have a present I wanted to give you.”

“A present?” she asks excitedly, seeming to instantly forget about the last few minutes. Marlene’s eyes brighten, and she jumps to her feet and runs up to him. “What is it??” She pauses, biting her lip and holding her hands behind her back. “Um. Please?”

Cloud chuckles and squats down to her height, handing the toy over. “Here you go, kid. Hope you like it.”

Marlene gasps as she takes it, holding it flat between both hands. “It’s so pretty! Thank you, Cloud!” she says, holding her arms wide. She catches herself after a moment and puts them down, eyes falling to the floor as her face turns pink. Cloud stares at her for a long moment, eyes wide, before slowly lifting his own arms. She blinks in surprise and steps forward to hug him, a nervous giggle escaping her lips.

“…Yeah. You’re welcome, kiddo.”

——

There’s another surprise waiting for Cloud when he gets to the Honeybee Inn, and it comes in the form of a slightly nervous-looking Lori catching him as he heads upstairs. “Hey, Cloud?”

“Yeah?” he asks, brows furrowing when he catches her expression. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine,” she waves off unconvincingly. “I was just wondering if you’d be up for a quick chat.”

“Sure. I’ll go get And—”

“No.” Lori swallows and straightens up, meeting his gaze determinedly. “You don’t have to.”

“Are… Are you sure?”

She nods. “Yeah. Just… meet me upstairs in a few minutes?”

Cloud hesitates for a long moment. “Alright,” he agrees eventually. Lori gives another nod and turns on her heel, spine straight and pace steady even though he can see the white-knuckled grip she has on the hem of her shirt. As he drops off his sword in the dressing room, he goes back and forth over whether to grab Andrea despite what Lori said, but in the end he decides against it. If it comes down to it, hopefully she knows she can always just tell him to leave.

When he makes it to the fourth floor and knocks on her door, Lori answers it and glances around before smiling and letting him in. She gestures for him to take his usual seat across from her and says as she sits down, “I just wanted to say thank you.”

“Huh? For what?”

“For always taking the time to talk to me even though I was so… Well, honestly… _scared_ of you when we first met. Still am, a tiny bit,” she says sheepishly, holding up her shaking hand slightly in example, “But I hope you know by now that it’s got nothing at all to do with you.” Lori pauses for a moment, waiting for his nod, then adds with a soft smile, “And the other thing I wanted to thank you for is just… being exactly who Andi needs.”

“I don’t…” Cloud trails off, frowning, and Lori shakes her head.

“No really, I mean it. We can all tell the difference lately. Especially those of us who _live_ here,” she adds with a laugh. “Andi’s always been so… ‘go, go, go’ all the time, y’know? And it’s great that he’s so passionate, but I think it comes at the cost of his mental health sometimes. Since you’ve been around, he seems more relaxed, though. I think taking time for _you_ means taking time for _himself_ , too. And he just generally seems happier with you around, of course.”

“I…” He swallows, at a loss for words. Eventually, he manages quietly, “…He does?”

Lori’s head tilts, face scrunched in confusion. “Obviously. Can you really not see that…?” she asks sadly. Cloud shrugs and glances away. “Well, it’s true. And I think you’d see it if you let yourself.” She waits to see if Cloud will respond, but when he comes up with nothing, she shrugs. “Well, hopefully you get why I didn’t want you to get Andi this time, but… I think I’d be okay with it if you come alone from now on.” She catches the look on the blond’s face and shakes her head with a laugh before he can speak. “And _yes_ , I’m sure. And _yes_ , I’ll tell you if I change my mind at any point.”

“How’d you—?”

Lori giggles. “Because you’ve been acting exactly like Andi did, back when I told him the same thing.”

“…Okay,” he agrees eventually, and is rewarded with Lori beaming back at him.

“Good.” She glances to the door. “Well, I shouldn’t keep you any longer; you were on your way to Andi’s, right?”

Cloud nods. “It can wait, though.”

“Nah, that’s okay. That was all I wanted to say anyways. Don’t be a stranger, though, ‘kay?”

“’Kay,” he agrees, huffing out a laugh as he stands. “I’ll see you later, then.”

“See ya!”

Cloud makes his way down the hall and knocks on Andrea’s door, entering when he hears the faint, “Come in!” from the other side. He closes the door behind himself and freezes as he looks around. “What’s all this?” he asks, expression getting stuck somewhere between confusion and the laughter that’s hovering on the tip of his tongue.

Andrea finishes lighting the candle he’s standing in front of—one of a dozen or two spread throughout the living room and kitchen—and turns to face him with a grin. “Was hoping you might indulge me a bit,” he says, and if Cloud didn’t know better, he’d almost think Andrea was a little embarrassed.

“Indulge you in _what_ , exactly?”

“In being a sappy fool?” he tries as he walks closer and tucks a lock of hair behind Cloud’s ear, hand lingering on his cheek. The blond huffs out a laugh even as he leans into the touch. Andrea echoes it and clarifies, “In a dance, my dear.”

“A dance?” Cloud repeats incredulously. “On the one day that you don’t _have_ to dance all week?”

“Mmhmm,” Andrea agrees with a chuckle. “The difference is that _this_ isn’t a performance, and there is no audience. Just us.”

“You really _are_ being a sappy fool today, huh?” Cloud asks, but he couldn’t stop the dumb grin that appears in response to Andrea’s if he tried. “Alright, sure. Why not?” he says with a shake of his head and another quiet laugh.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Andrea says, squeezing his hand before he walks away to light the last few candles.

“It’s been a while since we changed things up,” Cloud says as he watches him wander around the room.

“Aside from that night at the club, you mean?” he asks with a laugh. Cloud rolls his eyes, and Andrea flips the light off and turns some music on before returning to him. “There’s only so much you can do to keep things fresh, unfortunately, and the price of becoming a permanent fixture here is that you get to do all the boring, routine dances instead of the fun, impulsive ones.”

“Routine, yeah, but not boring,” the blond argues, stepping closer to wrap his arms around Andrea’s neck.

“Hmm… You look beautiful in the candlelight, darling,” Andrea says, hands coming to rest on his hips as they start swaying slowly. “I do wish I could see that lovely blush that I’m sure you’re wearing more clearly, though.” Cloud huffs, and Andrea chuckles and leans in to kiss his cheek. “See? I can _feel_ the heat there.”

“You’re so weird,” Cloud says, shaking his head with a quiet laugh. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”

“Only for the clothes and my amazing dancing, dear.”

“Mm,” Cloud hums in joking agreement, “And this.” He tilts his head to kiss Andrea, soft and slow, smiling against his lips.

“I think that’s an argument for why _I_ put up with _you_ ,” Andrea counters, making Cloud laugh again.

Aiming for a distraction, he says, “I thought we were gonna dance.”

“We are,” Andrea points out. Cloud rolls his eyes. “Slow dancing not what you had in mind?”

“Not really,” Cloud answers, but he doesn’t make any move to pull away. Andrea presses their foreheads together, and Cloud closes his eyes with a smile.

Andrea hesitates, not wanting to risk ruining it, but eventually says, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you smile so much.”

Cloud doesn’t look to see his boyfriend’s expression, but he sounds surprised and maybe a little proud. It’s probably well-deserved. “Not sure I ever _have_ ,” he admits after a minute. “Not in a long time, anyway.”

“…Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I’m curious why you’re letting me see it now,” the other man says quietly.

Cloud sighs, finally opening his eyes to meet Andrea’s before answering honestly, “Because it’s just you right now.” Because he can’t help it. Because the little ball of warmth in his stomach that always comes with Andrea’s presence is only growing with their closeness, with his hands and lips and the soft music and their slow movements. Because for once, he’s content to be… _content_.

Andrea’s breath leaves him in a rush, and Cloud’s not sure he wants to know what Andrea sees in his eyes to cause that reaction. “Baby…” he whispers, sounding awed. He kisses Cloud’s temple, his cheek, his mouth, before pulling away just enough to give him space to breathe.

Cloud rests his head on Andrea’s shoulder and lets his eyes drift shut again. He hears familiar voices in his head, a distant dream, a warning to not let anything pass him by. _Every minute—every_ moment— _matters... You need to embrace this moment, right?_ So he does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist using that quote. Rest assured, the Clerith shipper part of me is sobbing right now lmao
> 
> (Fun fact: I've got little bits and pieces connecting all of my FF7R WIPS, because for some reason it's very entertaining to me and I like thinking that they're all alternate timelines of each other, and that bit connects to not only canon--obviously--but also to a Clerith fic that starts off centered around that scene.)


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, sorry for the wait on this one, everyone. I don't know why, but I was utterly incapable of focusing on this chapter for like a week. Every time I tried, I'd either end up spaced out or working on a later chapter instead. And then suddenly, two days ago I hit a rush of motivation and got almost the whole thing out at once haha
> 
> I can't believe we've reached 100k! Thank you all so much for still sticking with me on this sapfest train! :')

“Huh.”

“What is it, dear?” Andrea asks, head tilted curiously.

Cloud tosses his phone over so Andrea can see for himself, but still answers, “Tifa says they’re gonna have some kind of party at Seventh Heaven tonight, said I should invite you too.” He pauses, glancing away for a moment. “Probably just gonna be drinking and darts, nothing too interesting, but… If you wanna come…” He shrugs.

Andrea smiles softly and hands the phone back. “I’d love to, darling.”

“…’Kay,” Cloud says, lips quirking up slightly as he busies himself with his phone. “Fair warning that they’re all crazy, though, if you didn’t catch that on my birthday.”

“That’s alright,” Andrea replies with a laugh. “I get the feeling it’s the _fun_ type of crazy.”

Cloud just shrugs; it probably depends on who you ask.

* * *

“You ready yet?” Cloud calls down the hall a few hours later, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Just a minute, dear; you can’t rush perfection,” Andrea yells back, making him snort. The blond leans on the back of the couch, resting his eyes while he waits. A few minutes later, Andrea reappears with, “Well? What’d I tell you?”

Cloud opens his eyes again to find his boyfriend posing with arms spread, showing off his (surprisingly simple, considering how long it took) outfit of black cowl neck shirt over dark jeans, topped off with his boots and expertly applied eyeliner. Cloud wanders closer with a smirk. “Mm… It’s close,” he gives him, chuckling at Andrea’s pout before he kisses it away. Cloud winds his arms around his neck, but Andrea pulls back after a few seconds.

“Thought you were in a rush?” he points out smugly.

“Nope, really couldn’t care less if we’re late for the party. I was just getting bored waiting for you.”

“Brat,” Andrea accuses with a laugh. Cloud just grins cheekily and backs away to open the door, waving him through it. “Hmm… Hard to believe that in all the time I’ve lived here, this’ll only be my second time in Sector 7.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re a workaholic,” Cloud says, expression daring Andrea to disagree. He can’t help but remember what Lori said the last time they talked. “You hardly wander out of the _inn_ , much less the _sector_.”

“I suppose so,” Andrea admits. With a sidelong glance at Cloud, he adds, “I guess we’ll just have to do something about that then, won’t we?”

“Guess so,” the blond agrees with a small smile.

“What areas have you been to?” Andrea asks curiously.

Cloud shrugs. “Lotsa places. But if you mean in Midgar, I’ve only seen Sectors 4 to 8, and not much of it was topside.”

“Actually, I was more curious about _outside_ of Midgar, but… I guess that means we’ve got 3 whole sectors to explore together.”

“Guess so,” Cloud repeats, laughing. “Think you can drag yourself out of your cave long enough to check ‘em out?” He’s obviously teasing, but Andrea’s smile is entirely real and shuts him up pretty quickly.

“If it’s with you, I’m sure I can manage it,” he jokes, wrapping an arm around Cloud’s shoulders to pull him close and press a kiss to his temple. A few curious heads swivel their way as they make it outside. Cloud tenses slightly, but it’s easier to ignore the whispers than it used to be, easier to push down whatever little insecurities still linger about his place at Andrea’s side.

Andrea takes a deep breath in when they get to Wall Market's exit, letting it out slowly. "It feels... _stifling_ there, once in a while," he explains when Cloud gives him a questioning look. He stretches and the tension drops out of his shoulders. "Always so much going on, and... being _who I am_ doesn't come without expectations of who I _should_ be."

Cloud nods. After a long moment he says quietly, "You handle it a lot better than I'd ever be able to."

"I've also had years to get used to it," Andrea replies. "Besides, I'd say you're already doing quite well."

"Huh?"

"You've become the talk of the town, my dear. Our very own starlet at the Honeybee Inn, and from what Aerith's mentioned, quite well-known in the outside world as a _very_ reliable mercenary." Cloud blinks at him in surprise, and he laughs. "I suppose having blinders to most of it might be _why_ you're able to handle it."

The blond shrugs uncomfortably. He'd noticed that he'd been getting more jobs lately but assumed it was just a stroke of luck. And of course he knew about the eyes that followed him and Andrea whenever they were together, but if he got any attention on his own, he rarely noticed. When he spots a few hedgehog pies and wererats in the road ahead of them, it's a welcome distraction. Cloud takes care of them easily, in a matter of seconds, but from the way Andrea looks at him afterward they might as well have been dragons. “…What?” he asks eventually, when Andrea just _keeps staring_.

“Mm, nothing, dear,” he blatantly lies, pulling Cloud to him for a long, deep kiss. He grins when they part. “I just got a rather… _visceral_ reminder of what it was about you that caught my eye in the first place.”

Cloud glances away, muttering, “Not like you couldn’t have taken ‘em out too." Or pretty much anyone else in the area, for that matter. Nobody would survive long in the slums without _some_ fighting skill.

“Maybe, but not quite so easily. Besides, it was just a small taste, but it’s a reminder of the _true_ strength and grace that I know you’re hiding, that I was lucky enough to witness myself in the Colosseum.”

It’s still absolutely ridiculous, but Cloud can’t quite bring himself to argue because Andrea’s looking at him like he wants to _devour him whole_ , and that’s… Well. Distracting, to say the least. And not something he’s very invested in discouraging. So when his boyfriend backs him into one of the palettes of stone lining the road, then suddenly lifts him onto it and slips between his legs to kiss him more thoroughly, he doesn’t fight it. Doesn’t remind him that they’re already running late or that they’re in the middle of a major road, or complain that Andrea’s messing his hair up beyond saving. Just slides closer and tugs the other man’s bottom lip between his teeth and tries not to think too hard about the fact that Andrea just effortlessly picked him up (because _yeah_ , they’ve done lifts while dancing before, but somehow it hadn’t really crossed his mind before now that that might expand to… _other_ areas, too, and the last thing he needs is to show up to a party with all his friends with a hard-on).

They don’t part again until a woman walks by, muttering something about getting a room under her breath. Cloud has to remind himself that they’re in public and _she_ _’s_ probably not the one being unreasonable.

Andrea closes his eyes for a few moments, then takes a deep breath and opens them as he takes a half-step back. He huffs out a laugh when he catches sight of Cloud’s hair and sets about trying to smooth it back into shape. “Didn’t think it could get messier than your spikes,” he murmurs. Cloud rolls his eyes but says nothing. After a minute, Andrea drops his hands with a sheepish smile. “I think that’s the best I can manage.” He offers a hand and Cloud takes it as he hops down, even though it’s only a foot or two to the ground.

Cloud tangles their fingers together and shrugs as they continue their walk; he knew it was probably a lost cause before Andrea even tried. It doesn’t take much longer to reach Seventh Heaven, though Andrea has to practically drag him through the door when they arrive. He knows exactly what awaits him in three… two… one…

“You’re the last one here, Stamp!”

“Stamp?” Andrea murmurs at his side. “As in…?”

“Yeah,” Cloud answers, leveling a glare at Barret. Before he can respond, though, Jessie bounces up to them.

“Hey, Andi! Glad you— _oh_. Oh boy,” she says, giggling. She pats at Cloud’s hair and eyes him up and down with a smirk. “Well, I guess we know why _you_ were late…”

“Good to see you again, Jessie,” Andrea cuts in, half-expecting his boyfriend’s red face to start steaming. He catches her elbow, and she gives him a knowing look but lets herself be led away.

“Cloud!” Aerith calls, waving him over to the bar. He takes a seat next to her, taking a deep breath, and she pats his arm sympathetically. “Tifa?” she says expectantly.

Tifa nods, and a minute later she slides a drink across to him. He trusts her judgment enough to not bother asking and downs it, the sting of vodka welcome. “So how exactly is this different from any other night?” Cloud asks skeptically as he glances around the room.

“Well, Aerith and Andrea are here, for one,” Tifa answers, grinning as she leans against the bar. “Also, we're closed to customers for the night, so I doubt anyone will be holding back on the alcohol for fear of secrets spilling. Trust me, it’s free entertainment,” she adds with a wink.

“…Where’s Marlene?” Aerith asks hesitantly.

Tifa’s smile softens and she rests a hand over Aerith’s for a moment. “Don’t worry, she’s staying the night at Betty’s.”

Aerith nods, squeezing Tifa’s hand briefly before she pulls away. “’Kay. Thanks.”

“The others are playing poker or something if you wanna join them,” Tifa tells Cloud, cheerful but disinterested. Lowering her voice, she says, “I’d advise against making any big bets, though. Barret knows what he’s doing.”

“Alright,” he says standing with a shrug. He joins everyone else at one of the big tables, and Wedge grins and deals him in on the next round. Cloud’s attention is only half on the game, distracted by Andrea and Jessie. As he’d expected—and feared—they get on like a house on fire, and end up ducking out of the game after a while just to chat and drink. To Cloud’s surprise, Biggs joins them a few hands later and, despite their last meeting, seems to get along pretty well with Andrea, too. He catches a few snippets of their conversation, Biggs’ eyes lighting up as he talks about his weapon collection and mods and Jessie curiously comparing her lives above and below the plate with Andrea’s. Eventually he relaxes enough to tune it out, content in the knowledge that they aren’t just trying to cause trouble for him, and focuses on beating Barret’s ass at poker.

* * *

They've been going for a while, and Cloud isn’t sure how much money he’s out at this point, but surprisingly, he also doesn’t care too much. The competition is fun—and not just against Barret. As it turns out, Wedge is just as intense about cards as he is about darts. Aerith eventually joins them too, but she seems happier to mess around and try to distract them than to get too serious about it.

“Tifa, my dear!” Andrea calls happily as she approaches their table, his raised voice drawing Cloud’s attention. “Care to join us?”

“In a minute,” she says with a smile. “Anyone want more food or drinks first?”

“I’ll take another beer, thanks,” Biggs answers with a grin.

“Mmm, I’m getting hungry,” Jessie says, laying with her arm stretched out across the table. She’s flushed and her eyes are starting to glaze over. “Just toss me whatever you don’t have to cook, please.”

“Sure thing. Andrea?”

He smirks. “What’s the strongest drink on your menu, dear?”

Tifa grins suddenly, wide and sharp. “One Lifestream coming right up,” she says before disappearing behind the bar.

Cloud frowns down at his cards before sliding them into the middle of the table, his interest in the game suddenly dropping to almost nothing. “Think I’m done,” he says, grabbing his drink and sliding in next to Andrea at the other table as the others nod. “Hi.”

Andrea laughs, a fond smile lingering on his face as he looks Cloud over. “Hello, sweetheart. Enjoying yourself?”

“Mmhmm. You?”

“I’m having a delightful time, dear,” he replies, pressing a kiss to the mess of blond hair. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“Was Tifa’s idea,” Cloud says, brow furrowing.

Before Andrea can respond, the woman in question sets a mako green concoction in front of him and drops onto the other bench next to Biggs. “High alcohol tolerance?” she asks curiously.

He nods, glancing at the crowd around them, everyone in various stages of inebriation. “I’d wager that it's higher than most here.”

“Wanna bet on it?” Tifa asks with a too-innocent grin.

Andrea starts to respond, but Cloud quickly slaps a hand over his mouth. “Don’ do it,” he warns, eyes narrowing at the woman across from them. “She’ll drink you under the table. _Trust me_.” He blinks at the slight slur in his own voice; maybe he’s had a little bit more than he realized.

Andrea pries his boyfriend’s hand off his mouth with a chuckle. “I wasn’t planning to, sweetheart. That’s the look of a woman who _knows_ she’ll win, and considering that she runs a bar… Well. I know which bets are worth taking and which aren’t.”

“Good.”

“Aww, too bad,” Tifa says, though she doesn’t really seem to care, judging by her shrug and smile. “Woulda been fun, and to be honest, I kinda wanted to see what sort of drunk you are.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll find out by the end of the night, my dear, but… I’ll take my time with it and enjoy the fun along the way.”

“Fair enough,” she replies, shrugging again as she stands. She glances to Cloud, then back to Andrea with a cheeky grin. “Maybe you already know this, but Cloud here’s an affectionate drunk.”

“Not sure it’ll make much of a difference,” Andrea says, mirroring her grin as he glances down at Cloud, who’s leaning heavily against him. “He’s already _much_ more affectionate than I’m sure he’d like to admit.”

“Can you guys stop talking about me like I’m not _right here_?” Cloud mutters, glaring at both of them.

“I just thought it was fair to warn him that you might get a little… clingy,” Tifa says. Her tone makes it sound like she believes it’s completely reasonable, but she’s still wearing that smile that leaves Cloud desperately trying to remember if he’s done something lately that she’d want revenge for.

He groans, eyes narrowing to glare at her for a few moments before falling shut. “Whatever,” he sighs, wishing he could argue, but she’s seen him drunk more than anyone else ever has and would probably be happy to draw that argument out as long as possible. Andrea chuckles and wraps an arm around his waist, and Cloud turns his attention to him and his terrifying cocktail. “You really gonna drink that?”

Andrea takes a sip and makes a pleasantly surprised noise. “Yes, though I imagine taking it slow would be a good idea.”

“Prob’ly.”

“You _did_ ask for the strongest drink we have,” Tifa reminds him.

Andrea nods. “I did,” he concedes with a smile. “And I’ll happily drink it all, just not at once.”

Tifa nods, satisfied. She glances over at Jessie and pokes at her arm, amusement curling at the corners of her lips. “You still alive there, Jess?”

“’M alive. Awake, even,” she mumbles, swatting ineffectually at Tifa’s hand. “Jus’ restin’. I’ll hit my second wind in a bit.”

“I know you will,” Tifa replies with a chuckle. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t already down for the count.”

“Nah. We still got most o’ the night left!”

“Damn right we do, and you still owe me a dance,” Biggs says suddenly, watching her with an unexpectedly soft smile. Cloud blinks in surprise; he’d nearly forgotten Biggs was there.

Jessie giggles. “You’ll get your dance, mister, just lemme rest a little first.”

“I’m just givin’ you shit, Jess. Get some sleep,” he says quietly.

“Mmkay… Promise you’ll wake me up in an hour?”

“Promise.”

* * *

Sure enough, when Jessie wakes up an hour later, she’s back at her usual full, hyperactive energy levels. She might as well have slept the whole night away. She happily challenges everyone to a round of darts, and Tifa, Biggs, and Wedge accept the challenge. Cloud joins them, despite his better judgment screaming that he doesn’t have the coordination for it and might end up leaving tiny holes in the wall. Surely Tifa knew the risks when she decided to allow this party in the first place.

“Hey, Cloud?” Tifa asks after the third round. She’s gotten into the game more than he ever expected and barely glances away from the board, even though it’s not her turn. She nudges the bag of chips they’d all been snacking out of a while ago across the table to him. “Can you please toss those back in the cupboard for me?”

“Sure,” Cloud agrees, grabbing them and standing up. His vision swims for a moment before the world rights itself again, and he makes his way slowly back behind the bar. He stares at the cupboards for a long minute before shrugging to himself and choosing one at random to put them in. Then he turns to head back to the game, noting with some amusement that Jessie and Biggs have dropped out in favor of dancing to the music from the jukebox. Andrea catches him around the waist as he walks by, and Cloud falls into his boyfriend’s lap sideways with a gasp and a bright laugh. “What was that for?” he asks as Andrea nuzzles at his jaw. He dips his head for a kiss, but Andrea reluctantly pulls back after a minute.

“Do I need a reason, beautiful?”

“Guess not,” Cloud says with a shrug. He wraps an arm around Andrea’s shoulders and shifts into a more comfortable position. “Still havin’ fun?”

“Mmhmm,” Andrea hums against his neck. Cloud closes his eyes, his grip tightening. Eventually Andrea admits, “I _may_ have had a bit too much to drink, though.”

“Think we _all_ have,” Cloud says, chuckling. “An’ you’re still making sense, so… Can’t be _that_ much.”

“Tifa still seems perfectly coh… fine,” Andrea argues, making Cloud laugh again. Maybe he _is_ a little farther gone than he seems.

“Don’ think she _can_ get that drunk,” he replies. “Mm… No, that’s not right… It takes a lot, and she _won_ _’t_ get that drunk. Dunno if she thinks she’ll look weak or if she’s jus’ the only—” Cloud blinks and snorts at whatever sound leaves his mouth next. He knows it was _meant_ to be ‘responsible,’ is perfectly aware of what he’s saying in his head, but his tongue trips over itself and the garbled mess that comes out sounds nothing like the word.

“What was that, dear?” Andrea asks, making a poor attempt at stifling his laughter as he adjusts his hold on Cloud’s waist and pulls him closer.

“Haha,” the blond says flatly. “I… Mm…” He squints, his previous train of thought escaping him for a bit. Eventually he straightens slightly and says, “Oh! Was sayin’ maybe Tifa’s the only real adult here.”

“Maybe,” Andrea agrees, aiming a smile up at him.

Cloud can’t tell whether it’s supposed to be one of his nice smiles or one of his teasing ones, but after a moment’s thought he decides it’s worth kissing either way. Andrea takes control of the kiss fairly quickly and Cloud follows his lead, their lips sliding together slow and soft. His eyes drift shut again, and it only intensifies the surreal dream-like feeling that the whole world’s taken on. When they separate after a few minutes, he opens them to find Andrea staring up at him with what might be the most adoring look he’s ever seen on his face… or maybe he’s just a little too drunk and seeing what he wants to see. Cloud shifts down until he can wrap his arms around Andrea’s neck and rest his head on one of them. Eventually, he admits reluctantly, “Maybe Tifa was right…”

“About what?” Andrea asks, one hand moving to rub lightly up and down his back.

“’Bout me being… ‘clingy’ when ‘m drunk,” he answers with a scowl. He can feel the twitch of Andrea’s shoulders when he laughs.

“Maybe a bit, but I certainly don’t mind.”

“Mm.” It means nothing, didn’t even in his own head, but Andrea seems to accept it as an end to the conversation. They fall silent for a while, and just as Cloud is reaching the edge of dozing, Andrea shifts. Cloud blinks at him, and he carefully moves the blond onto the bench with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, love,” he says quietly. “Just need to run to the restroom.”

Cloud blinks again, slowly, and nods. As Andrea walks away, he glances around the room, and the sight in the corner shocks him awake again. Biggs has Jessie pressed into the wall near the dartboard, hands clutched tight to her hips, and they’re making out like the world might end if they stop kissing each other for even a moment. “Uh.” He jerks his gaze away, feeling like an unwilling intruder, and ends up meeting Tifa’s as she passes him. He can’t help but ask. “Are they…?”

Tifa gives a small, bittersweet smile and a one-armed shrug. “I don’t _think_ so, but… Well, this definitely isn’t the first time they’ve wound up like that at one of these parties.”

“…Ah.”

“Mmhmm.” She glances around, then drops onto the bench next to him. “How’re you doing?” she asks worriedly.

Cloud shrugs tiredly. “’M fine. I mean. Definitely drunk. But fine.”

Tifa chuckles. “Okay. Just… I know it isn’t any of my business, but maybe try not to push anything tonight?” Cloud’s brows furrow, but before he can question her, Tifa’s flitting away again and Andrea’s returned.

“What’s wrong, darling?” he asks immediately, but Cloud just shakes his head. He doesn’t realize what she meant until hours later, but there’s no reason for her to have worried anyways—nobody can quite bring themselves to leave, and aside from Barret, who actually has a bed to fall into down the hall, they all end up passed out on the tables and chairs (or, in Biggs and Jessie’s case, in a tangled pile on the uncomfortable looking floor).

* * *

Cloud wakes to the welcome sight and smell of a disgustingly greasy breakfast and a few painkillers. Tifa gives him a gentle smile before she moves on, setting plates in front of everyone else. Andrea slides closer to take his hand, and Cloud gives him a tiny smile and squeezes back before pulling away to eat. He shoves down the nausea and takes a bite as he glances around the room; Aerith is still asleep sprawled over the farthest bench, Wedge is chowing down like it’s the best meal he’s had in his life, and Biggs is… nowhere to be seen. Jessie’s alone at the round table, arms crossed and brows furrowed in a rare frown behind the curtains of her loose hair. Tifa drops her food in front of her and squeezes her shoulder, and Jessie shoots her a grateful smile before taking a deep breath and shaking the tension out of her muscles.

Breakfast is a surprisingly quiet affair, especially compared to the chaos of the previous night. It’s actually a little eerie, and Cloud is quick to say his thanks and goodbyes and make his escape once they're done eating. As they step out into the light of day, both he and Andrea groan.

“That’s… unpleasant,” Andrea says.

Cloud snorts at the impressive understatement. “Dunno about you, but I just wanna go back to sleep ‘til this hangover’s gone.”

“That may be one of the best ideas you’ve ever had,” he replies, tone laced with amusement.

Andrea hesitates, and Cloud’s sure he’s wondering if he’s been avoiding showing him his apartment for a reason. He hasn’t, really; it’s not the greatest place, but considering that it’s in the middle of the slums… It could be worse. He just prefers Andrea’s, and it’s usually easier to just stay there after a show anyways. So before Andrea can make up his mind over whether to ask, he offers, “My place is pretty close, if you want.”

His face lights up. “That sounds perfect, my dear.”

Cloud nods and starts leading the way. “Lesson one: a good rest’ll cure anything,” he recites. Andrea makes a questioning noise behind him, and he shakes his head with a laugh. “Never mind.”

“No really, I’m curious,” Andrea says, speeding up to walk by his side. He catches his hand and interlaces their fingers. “Where’d that come from?”

“… Lessons from Tifa on my first day in the slums. It just became some kind of dumb joke, I guess.”

“That’s generally how it goes with in-jokes, sweetheart,” Andrea says, amused. “They rarely have much rhyme or reason to them.”

Cloud blinks at him in surprise, then glances away with a shrug. “I guess.”

“What’s that look about?”

“I just…” He shrugs again, staring straight ahead when he says, “Guess it didn’t cross my mind that I _had_ in-jokes with anyone. That I was… _close_ enough to anyone to have them.”

“Oh, darling…” Andrea smiles and lifts his hand to press a kiss to the back of it. “I think you’re close to a lot more people than you realize. I think you have a lot more people who _care_ about you than you realize.”

Cloud shakes his head, lips pursed as he tries to find the right words. After a few seconds he settles for, “No, I—I know that. It’s just… new.” Andrea’s smile takes on a sad twist, but he says nothing. Cloud’s grateful; the last thing he wants is pity. “There it is,” he says, nodding towards Stargazer Heights as they approach. “Nothing special, but it’s a place to sleep. And it’s free, so…” He shrugs. “Can’t get much better than that.”

“I’m sure it’s lovely,” Andrea says, nodding in greeting to Marle, who’s sitting in the shade outside her door. She returns the gesture before turning to Cloud, one eyebrow raised curiously and maybe a little disapprovingly. He hurries on, not exactly eager to try and explain that he just isn’t the one for Tifa. He’s been avoiding her as much as possible lately and can only hope that Tifa talks to her before she can sink her claws into him.

Not that he dislikes Marle. Just the opposite, in fact; she’s feisty but cares a lot about everyone she meets and is always quick to lend a hand where needed, is protective and quick-witted and refuses to let anyone intimidate her. She’s exactly the kind of person that Tifa needs, and he’s glad she’s in her life (and maybe his own, too).

But _dear god_ is the woman scary when it comes to her “granddaughter.”

“What was that about?” Andrea asks quietly when they reach the top of the stairs. Cloud side-eyes him and he chuckles.

“Trust me, you don’t wanna know. Just… try to avoid her if you can. For now, at least. And if you _can_ _’t_ , then… be prepared for an interrogation,” he answers, grimacing.

“About…? You?” Andrea asks, brows furrowing.

Cloud shrugs. “Probably. _And_ yourself. And our relationship, and whether you know Tifa and how, and… Like I said, better to just avoid her if you can,” he finishes with a snort.

“ _Ah_ ,” Andrea says, with a knowing kind of amusement that makes Cloud wonder how much experience he has with smitten girls and their overprotective family members.

Cloud unlocks the door and pushes it open, waiting for Andrea to enter before he follows. The apartment feels nearly claustrophobic with two fully grown men standing in it, so he slips his boots off and slides onto the bed, trying to take up less space. It helps a little. He watches as Andrea glances around with a tiny smile, then points to the door on the left. “Bathroom’s there if you need it. Other one’s just a closet,” he explains needlessly.

“I may need to take you up on that,” Andrea says with a nod. He disappears into the bathroom, and Cloud lets out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. He isn’t sure why he’s nervous, but after Andrea’s returned and washed his hands, he seems to notice and becomes determined to put him at ease. “Your place could use more of a personal touch, but it’s cute. Like you,” he says, leaning over Cloud to rub their noses together and laughing when his boyfriend predictably rolls his eyes. He climbs onto the bed and hovers over Cloud’s legs, the blond's hands settling on his hips. When Andrea pushes closer for a kiss, they slide farther, groping at the swell of his ass, and he practically purrs. Cloud’s lips quirk in amusement.

Andrea sits back after a minute, resting on Cloud's knees and watching him with a strangely blank expression. The blond tilts his head in a silent question, and he stays quiet for a few seconds longer before asking out of nowhere, "Do you want me to stop seeing clients?"

Cloud grits his teeth, good mood instantly evaporated. It's something he tries hard not to think about, something that makes that ugly, guilty possessiveness rear its head again. "I couldn't ask you to do that," he answers eventually.

"I didn't ask if you would _ask_ me to stop, I asked if you _wanted_ me to," he points out. "Besides, I promise... You couldn't _make_ me do anything I didn't want to."

Cloud's teeth grind together as he tries to bite down on the truth that wants so badly to spill out. It doesn't work. "...Yeah," he breathes, tipping his head forward to rest against Andrea's chest so the other man can't see his face. "Yeah, I want you to."

"Well then," Andrea says, one finger pressing lightly but insistently under Cloud's chin until he looks up. His smile lights up the whole room. "I guess it's lucky for you that I already have."

Cloud blinks in alarm. "You—what? But it's your—”

"I have plenty of other ways to make money, dear. In case you forgot, I _own_ the club, and I'm still performing nearly every night."

"... _Oh._ " The rush of relief is only a little surprising. He'd feel guilty for it if Andrea didn't look so goddamn happy.

"Sorry if I worried you by asking that out of the blue." His smile turns sheepish. "Truth be told, I just wanted to know whether you cared. Maybe see that spark of possessiveness light up in your eyes again."

“But what about—the three year waiting list—”

“Doesn’t exist,” Andrea says with a flippant wave of his hand. “I was so busy for a while that I was completely drained, so at some point I had Soph and Alton start saying that. Figured anyone who was actually willing to wait three years deserved an appointment.”

Cloud takes this in for a moment before asking flatly, “So… all I would’ve had to do to meet with you that night… was say yes when he asked if I wanted to be penciled in three years later?”

“Yep,” Andrea answers cheerfully, looking far too amused at Cloud’s expense.

He sighs. “You’re the worst,” he says unconvincingly, head dropping to Andrea’s chest again.

“Hey now,” his boyfriend says, squeezing his shoulder. “It would have gotten you a _meeting_. I guarantee you still would’ve had to prove yourself for me to take as big of a gamble on you as I did. So… it really didn’t change all that much in the end. Besides, I certainly wouldn’t have expected to spend the night _talking_ if you had an appointment,” he adds, voice dipping suggestively.

Cloud peers up at him, eyebrow arched. “So what you’re saying is that it’s about ten times harder to get into your pants now that I’m _dating_ you and am actually _trying_ to,” he says wryly, his bluntness startling a loud laugh out of Andrea. Cloud grins to himself; he wouldn't have said it if that wasn't _exactly_ the reaction he was expecting to get.

“My, my, whatever happened to that adorably shy, blushing creature from not so long ago?” he asks, though he knows that Cloud is still just that when he’s caught off guard. The blond snorts, but Andrea doesn’t wait for an answer that he knows he won't get. One hand on either side of Cloud’s face, he leans in until their foreheads are touching and holds his gaze. Quiet and a bit more serious, he says, “Sweetheart… I promise, you’ve got me _exactly_ where you want me. It’s only the timing that seems to keep getting in the way and… Well. I’m trying not to be so careful with you, like you asked, but maybe I’m not doing such a great job of it. But if you’re sure of what you want, then I’m more than happy to give it to you, _whatever_ it is.”

Cloud bites his lip for a few moments before releasing it and closing the small gap between them to kiss Andrea. “Thank you,” he whispers, and maybe it’s a strange thing to say, but Andrea’s sincerity hits him in a way that such a ridiculous conversation probably shouldn’t. Still, the offer is clear, and tempting. Cloud takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before smiling and saying, “Right now, though, all I want is _sleep_ still.” It’s true, but that’s not really why he says it. He’s probably being just as sappy as Andrea so often is, but… he has a _plan_ , and it’s not one he’s going to drop now just because he _can_. Besides, patience is a virtue and all that.

“Sounds perfect to me,” Andrea says with that soft, comforting smile that says he still thinks Cloud has nerves.

It’s nowhere near the truth, but Cloud says nothing, just gently pushes him off of his lap before laying down and pulling Andrea with him. Andrea rests a hand on Cloud’s wrist, thumb stroking over his skin and toying absently with his onyx bracelet. He doesn’t seem to notice the other man’s eyes on him. It takes a while, but between his own repetitive motions and the headache he’s still harboring, Andrea eventually dozes off, and Cloud isn’t far behind.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look of the day: [this](https://picture-cdn.wheretoget.it/zcbf8x-l-610x610-dress-red+dress-leather+jacket-black+heels-christmas+dresses-party+dress-leggings.jpg), but with [these boots](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brinley-Co-Women-s-Lace-up-Stacked-Heel-Faux-Suede-Booties/55528379?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&&adid=22222222227073853724&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=185354753655&wl4=pla-290957823015&wl5=9060507&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=55528379&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw_7etIfE6wIVtB-tBh1-4gwiEAkYESABEgL_NfD_BwE).
> 
> I had so much to say about this chapter, but something happened that made me suddenly feel kinda shitty about it, so I'll just say a few things:  
> 1\. This and the next chapter were originally supposed to be combined, but after doing daily updates for a while, two weeks feels more like four months, and if I hadn't split them, then it would've taken even longer to get this up.  
> 2\. This is where the smut begins. If you want to skip it (or skip _to_ it, no judgment though it's probably not worth it lol), it starts at the line break after they get back to Andrea's place post-date and goes until the next break. I'll try to remember to update the tags as they become relevant, so people can avoid anything that isn't their cup of tea.  
> 3\. Warning that there is a small incident of misgendering in this chapter. (Not intentional or malicious, and not taken badly, but it's there.)

Andrea sinks himself deep into his work over the next week, and Cloud starts to understand what Lori meant, that he’ll just keep going until he drops. He'd thought he'd understood it before, but this is the first time he's seen it quite so bad. They barely see each other off the stage, and when they do, Andrea is tense and distracted. Cloud fully intends to drag him back out soon, but… Well, it’s actually helpful that Andrea’s attention isn’t on him for the moment. It gives him time, makes it easier to work on his plan.

It’s stupid.

It’s stupid, and cliché, and Andrea is going to _love_ it.

Even if it turns out that he isn’t into the idea itself, Cloud knows he’ll still be happy with it, if only because he actually went to the effort of setting it up.

By the end of the week, it’s ready, and he catches Andrea backstage after a performance. “Hey,” he says quietly, catching his hand. He brushes the back of his fingers over Andrea’s cheek, and the other man smiles and leans in for a quick kiss. When they separate, Cloud asks, “What’s going on? I’ve hardly seen you all week.” He’s got some idea, of course, but the details are a mystery, and it’s an opening for what he really wants to bring up.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Andrea says, just as quiet. He squeezes Cloud’s hand gently. “There’s a big visitor coming in a few weeks, one who may be willing to take the risk to advertise us topside if they like what they see. I’ve been trying to plan a show to wow them and make all of the necessary preparations for their stay. It’s… more difficult than it would normally be, because we’re going to be missing someone that week.” Cloud makes a questioning sound, but he just shakes his head and sighs. “No need to worry about it right now, darling. I’ll tell you more once I actually have some of the details worked out. In the meantime, I still have work to do, but I certainly wouldn’t say no if you felt like keeping me company.”

Cloud nods with a half-smile. Andrea leads him upstairs and settles him onto the couch with a movie and a kiss to the top of his head before disappearing into the bedroom. When he returns, it’s with a stack of papers with notes and vague diagrams scrawled haphazardly all over them. “I thought you kept work to the office?” Cloud questions.

“Usually, yes,” Andrea says with a sheepish smile. “At a certain point it’s just more comfortable to work in bed, though.”

Cloud frowns. “…Just how much time have you been spending on this?”

“…More than I’d like to admit,” he answers, sighing.

Cloud purses his lips but says nothing more, just leans into Andrea’s side as he gets to work, occasionally glancing down at the schedule he’s working on. Most of the rest is gibberish to the blond. After an hour or so, when he catches Andrea biting his pen cap and raking his nails through his hair, he says, “We should go out tomorrow. You need a break.”

Andrea glances at Cloud, blinking like he’d forgotten he was even there. He looks like he wants to argue, but after a minute, he sighs and wraps an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “Maybe you’re right,” he says, pressing a kiss to Cloud’s cheek. He fights with himself for a bit before setting his pen down on the table and wrapping his other arm around Cloud to pull him close and nuzzle into his hair. “Do you have somewhere in particular you want to go?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Oh?”

Cloud glances up at him with a smirk. “It’s a surprise. But I _will_ say that you should dress nice…ish.”

Andrea grins, eyes shining in excitement. Faking offense, he asks, “Don’t I always?”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “You know exactly what I meant,” he says, making the other man laugh. “And I’ll pick you up at one.”

“Ooh, now you’ve got me all curious about what you’re up to…”

“You’ll find out tomorrow,” Cloud say with an exasperated laugh.

“Fine, fine. I can’t say it doesn’t make me happy that you went to the trouble of planning a surprise for me.” He smiles, easy and fond, and the blond can’t help but return it.

“Gonna watch the rest of this movie with me?” he asks, even though he knows he’s pushing it.

Andrea bites his lip for a minute, torn, before saying, “I have more that I’d like to get done, especially if I won’t be able to work on it tomorrow, but… I suppose an hour wouldn’t hurt.”

“Good,” Cloud says, eyes brightening as he pushes Andrea to lay back on the arm of the couch, then settles in against his chest, half for the closeness and half to make it more difficult for Andrea to change his mind and sit up to go back to work.

“…Thank you, sweetheart,” Andrea says quietly, a few minutes later.

Cloud just shrugs and catches his hand to interlock their fingers. He hesitates for a long moment before pulling his boyfriend’s hand up to press a kiss to the back of it, face burning. Sometimes he wishes that such simple little things came as easily to him as they do to Andrea, wishes that he could do more to show that he cares without always feeling like he’s going to be crushed under the weight of the embarrassment. Andrea exhales, quiet and surprised, and just clutches him tighter with his other hand, and he thinks that maybe it’s okay. That Andrea understands anyways, or has the patience to wait for him to catch up when he doesn’t.

* * *

Cloud’s caught off guard by his own anxious (and, if he’s honest, excited) jitters the next day. He has to force himself to slow down, remind himself that getting there early won’t make the reservation earlier. Reads the morning away with one eye on the clock.

He feels ridiculous. Like a teenage girl waiting on her first date. Somehow, laughing at himself for it makes him feel a little bit better, even though it should probably make him feel _worse_.

When it’s finally a reasonable time to get ready, Cloud pulls on one of the many dresses he’d gotten from Andrea the night that he’d dressed him up—simple, short, and red. (And okay, maybe he’s grown a bit fond of the color, has noticed his own tendency to stray towards it lately, but nobody else needs to know that, least of all Andrea or Cash. They’ll notice eventually anyways, and he’ll happily put off their gloating for as long as possible.) It’s followed up with leggings (because there’s no way in hell he’s getting on the bike in just a skirt), a light leather jacket, and ankle boots, all black. Then the makeup and necklace and, slowly and carefully, the extensions and curling iron, which Manda had (a little too gleefully) taught him how to use and snuck out for him.

All he can see when he steps back from the small mirror is his shoulders and the curled ponytail tossed over one side. But glancing down at the outfit, Cloud feels… good. Confident. Probably the best he has since he started dressing like this outside of the inn. Like he could kick ass and still look… ~~cute~~ _good_ doing it. (He’d gladly toss out his own brain if he could, along with any unhelpful and definitely unwanted ideas it provides to set his face on fire. It took enough time and effort to be okay with wanting _beauty_ , even after Andrea’s assurances that it had nothing to do with gender. Anything else can just… stay buried nice and deep, at least for now.)

He takes a deep breath, grabs his keys and the ‘gift’ he’d bought, and heads out. The purr of the engine when his motorcycle roars to life helps to calm him, and the focus needed to avoid hitting anyone is a welcome distraction. The drive is over all too soon, but they’ll be back on the road soon enough. Cloud glances at the clock on his phone when he pulls up in front of the Honeybee Inn, then waits a few minutes before texting Andrea to let him know he’s arrived. His boyfriend appears a few minutes later, and Cloud climbs off the Hardy-Daytona to meet him with a kiss. He glances briefly over Andrea’s outfit—burgundy button-up and black dress pants—and smirks a little as he murmurs, “You look good.” As if he ever _doesn_ _’t_. The man could probably pull off a burlap sack.

“And _you_ look utterly adorable,” Andrea returns, grinning when Cloud trips over his own tongue until he eventually gives up and settles for what’s probably his weakest glare ever.

“…You ready to go?” Cloud asks once he finds his voice again.

“Mmhmm,” Andrea confirms, though he steals one more kiss before pulling away. “Where to, beautiful?”

He rolls his eyes. “You’ll just have to see when we get there, won’t you?”

Andrea gives a dramatic pout but concedes, “I suppose so.”

Cloud gets back on the bike and gestures for Andrea to climb on behind him. “Hold on tight,” he says, chuckling when the other man takes it a little too literally and slides close to wrap his arms completely around his waist. It’s slow going as they make their way out of Wall Market and the slums beyond, but once they reach the tunnel, the road is blessedly clear and Cloud kicks up the pace higher than is probably entirely sane. He catches a tiny hint of Andrea’s surprised laughter, the sound mostly lost to the wind, and grins.

He’s more careful than usual, even though it probably wouldn’t look like it to anyone else. They still make it up onto the Sector 4 plate in record time, though, and it doesn’t take long after that to reach their destination. When they pull up in front of the building, Cloud glances back to see Andrea’s reaction, but he’s not even looking around them. His gaze is aimed at the sky, eyes a bit wet, though he blinks it away after a moment and looks back to Cloud with a smile. “…I’ll bring you up again at night sometime,” Cloud finds himself saying without really knowing why.

Andrea chuckles, quiet and unconvincing, and grasps Cloud’s hand. “Oh? Going to go stargazing with me, dear?” he asks, teasing. The blond doesn’t answer, just watches him expectantly, and after a minute, Andrea admits, “I miss it, sometimes. Just a bit. But whatever I had to give up was worth everything I gained.” Cloud nods and squeezes his hand before nudging him off the bike and climbing off himself. Andrea finally glances at the pristine white building in front of them and blinks in surprise for a moment, then turns back to Cloud to grin and give him a quick kiss.

It hadn’t been cheap. Working in the slums doesn’t exactly make for the kind of money needed to go to a nice restaurant topside. With all of the side jobs Cloud’s been taking on, though, it hadn’t taken _too_ long to save up. But even with the money, it had taken quite a bit of work to get the reservations on such short notice, finding a lead from Jessie and then trading one favor for another for another until he finally found someone who could get them in. And yeah, there were probably easier options, but after all that Andrea’s done for him, putting in the effort for one nice date was the _least_ he could do. And if he’s already smiling like this before they’ve even gone inside, then it was more than worth it.

Cloud tucks his jacket into the saddlebag and takes Andrea’s hand to lead him into the building. There’s a podium just inside the door, and he suddenly feels strangely nervous as he gives his name to the woman standing behind it. (What if his contact hadn’t made the reservation after all, or something went wrong and it fell through? _Shit_ , he should’ve called ahead to confirm it!) She just smiles and glances down at her papers before nodding, though. “Thank you for joining us today, Ms. Strife,” she says, already turning away. He blinks in confusion for a moment, then huffs out a laugh that Andrea catches but the hostess doesn’t. “Please follow me; I’ll show you to your table.” Cloud nods, unseen, and they enter the restaurant proper, taking the seats she shows them to. “Someone will be along shortly to take your order. Please enjoy your meal.”

“Thanks,” he mumbles, and Andrea nods politely before she turns and makes her way back to the podium. Cloud glances around; the tables are set far enough apart that the conversations from the people around them are indistinct murmurs, and each is lit both by a candle and by the glowing orbs hovering all around the room above them. A voice in his head that sounds suspiciously like Barret says that it’s shameful, a waste of the Planet’s lifeblood. Which might be true, but there’s no denying that it’s beautiful, too. He glances to Andrea and follows his gaze out the window. Though they’re seated further in, there’s still a clear view through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the plains and ocean beyond Midgar.

Andrea turns back to Cloud a few minutes later and catches him staring at him rather than the view. He seems caught off guard, eyes widening in surprise and a faint blush spreading over his cheeks, but recovers quickly enough. He offers the blond a smile before turning his attention to the menu. “Any idea what you’re getting, sweetheart?”

Cloud shakes his head. “Not yet,” he answers, opening his own menu with a quiet chuckle.

A waiter appears only seconds later, notepad in hand. “What can I get you two to drink today?” he asks cheerfully. “Can I interest either of you in our wine selection?”

“Just water for me,” Cloud replies, shaking his head. To his surprise, Andrea echoes him. He waits until the waiter walks away to turn back to him with a frown; sure, he had to save up for this date, but he didn’t do it just for Andrea to take pity on him and order something cheap rather than whatever he actually _wants_. “You don’t have to—”

“Why would I want to be anything other than 100 percent present and aware of this day, darling?” Andrea interrupts with a smile. He catches Cloud’s hand on top of the table and rubs his thumb over his knuckles.

“…Oh,” Cloud replies intelligently, his heart doing some kind of ridiculous dance in his chest. He looks down to his menu again, not really seeing anything on it. “…Okay then,” he says eventually, flipping his hand over to hold Andrea’s. He turns his attention back to the menu, and a few minutes later the waiter reappears with their drinks.

“Are you ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes?”

Cloud shoots a questioning look to Andrea, who nods. “I think we’re ready.”

“Excellent, what can we get for you today?”

Cloud motions for Andrea to go first. He nods again and aims a small smile at the host. “I’ll take the seafood special, please.”

“Of course. And for you, sir?” he asks, turning to the blond.

“Uh—” He blinks, the title catching him off guard. After the hostess, he’d been fully prepared to be mistaken for a woman all day. He shakes it off and mutters, “The pasta alla norma, please.”

“Perfect! We’ll have those right out!” the waiter says. Cloud still can’t tell if he’s _actually_ that happy and friendly, or if his customer service smile is just _that_ convincing. It’s a little unsettling.

As he walks away, Andrea looks up to stare at the multi-colored orbs floating over their heads. “Beautiful,” he breathes, then glances back down to Cloud with a smile. “Thank you for bringing me here today, sweetheart.”

Cloud just shrugs, but a grin creeps onto his face as a bit of pride swells up that he apparently made a good choice for their date spot. He searches futilely for something to talk about, but they’re already together damn near all the time; anything that happens to one of them, the other instantly knows about. The only thing he can think to ask about is Andrea’s plans for the ‘big visitor,’ but that’s the _last_ thing he wants to bring up right now.

Luckily, Andrea saves him by launching into a story. “Do you remember the night that Harvey twisted his ankle and scared me into thinking it was something more serious?” Cloud nods. “Well, he nearly went and got himself injured again during rehearsal the day before yesterday.” Andrea rolls his eyes, grinning. “I love the boy dearly, but I’m starting to think we may need to invest in enough bubble wrap to protect him from himself.”

Cloud snorts. “What happened? He fall?”

Andrea nods. “Straight off the stage. I don’t know how he manages it.”

“By having the worst luck of anyone I’ve ever met.”

“I suppose so,” he agrees with a quiet laugh.

"He was alright, though?" Cloud confirms. Andrea nods, and he asks, “What about Luke? Haven’t seen him around much lately.”

“Oh, he’s fine,” Andrea answers, waving a hand. “He’s just been disappearing as quickly as possible after work because he’s planning something big—might finally be proposing to his girlfriend, from what little information I’ve been able to weasel out of him.”

Cloud stares, wide-eyed. “I didn’t even know he _had_ a girlfriend,” he admits with a nervous chuckle.

Andrea grins. “With a baby on the way, even.”

“…Wow.”

“Mmhmm.”

Andrea keeps the conversation going even after their food arrives, and although it’s maybe a little one-sided, he doesn’t seem at all bothered or surprised by it. Cloud still chimes in when he asks about something—yes the girls are all doing fine, no he hasn’t had a chance to go to the gym lately, yeah they should go together sometime soon, no he hasn’t stopped avoiding Marle yet don’t be a jerk—but for the most part, Andrea seems content to fill the quiet. Cloud’s grateful; conversation always takes a certain level of energy, and Andrea always seems to instinctively know when he doesn’t _have_ that kind of energy. He wishes he did now, but it all went towards setting up this whole day.

This cheesy crap normally isn’t his kind of thing, was really mostly for Andrea, but despite himself, Cloud finds himself falling into it, too. Into the quiet, romantic atmosphere. Into the temptation to just settle and let himself _feel_ everything fully for a while. Into Andrea’s eyes as he leans forward over the table, chatting animatedly and watching Cloud with a soft expression that it still surprises him to be on the receiving end of.

He comes to after a while and catches himself watching Andrea with a small smile and his cheek resting on a fist, food hardly touched in front of him. Miraculously, Andrea doesn’t seem to have noticed this time. Cloud jolts and forces his eyes down, taking a few bites of his meal before he dares to look up again.

It doesn’t help.

Andrea is still just as distracting, just as attractive, just as likely to break all of his walls and his rules without even trying.

The urge to kiss him is nearly overwhelming, but even Cloud knows that standing to lean across the table or pushing the candle out of the way would be awkward and probably kind of impolite and not at all romantic. So he pushes back the urge, tells himself that there will be plenty of time for that later, and just squeezes his hand tight instead. Andrea tilts his head questioningly, but Cloud just smiles and shakes his and waits for Andrea to continue his story. He does after a few seconds, though his eyes retain a curious light as they trace over Cloud’s face.

As they near the end of the meal, Cloud catches Andrea subtly eying the dessert menu and smirks. “Get whatever you want, but you might wanna save room… We’ve still got another stop after this.”

“Oh?” Andrea asks, grinning. “ _More_ surprises?”

“One or two.”

“Hmm… Why don’t we split something, then?”

“Sure,” Cloud answers, chuckling. “You pick.” Something’s obviously caught his eye, after all.

Andrea plucks the menu out of the holder and skims it. “How’s cheesecake sound?” he asks, peering up at Cloud questioningly.

“Sure.”

“You choose what kind,” he says, sliding the menu across the table.

Cloud glances over it, eyebrow raising. “Pineapple sounds… different,” he says with a shrug.

“Good different?”

“I guess.” He pushes it back to Andrea with a laugh. “Said _you_ should pick, though.”

“Pineapple it is, then,” Andrea says with a decisive nod. Cloud rolls his eyes but doesn’t object when he orders it. Their dessert arrives before long, and Andrea grins mischievously as he scoops up a bit and holds it in front of Cloud’s mouth. Cloud crosses his arms and gives him a flat look, but his grin doesn’t fall and his hand doesn’t move.

“Why are you like this?” Cloud mutters. He glances around to make sure nobody’s paying them any attention, then rolls his eyes again and takes the bite before leaning back in his seat.

“You know you love it,” Andrea replies, smile not fading one bit. He takes pity on Cloud, though, flipping the other fork around to his side of the plate. He tries a bite for himself and makes a happy noise that borders on sexual. Cloud can’t help but glance at the tables around them again, cheeks heating slightly. Andrea doesn’t seem to notice. “Delicious.”

“Mmhmm,” Cloud agrees, picking up his fork. He eats slowly, lets his boyfriend have most of it as much for his own sake as Andrea’s—he’s still a little anxious, still a little worried he could fuck up this day, and he just might be sick if he eats too much of the overly rich cake.

Andrea watches him and must notice, though, because he stops halfway through to ask for a box to take the rest of it in. When Cloud gives him a questioning look, he just shrugs and smiles and lies, “You said to save room, didn’t you? So that’s what I’m doing.”

Cloud hums disbelievingly but says nothing, just pays the bill without letting Andrea see it and leads the way back out to the bike. Cloud doesn’t answer when Andrea questions where they're off to next, just smirks and starts driving. He brings them back down to the lower level of the city, but stays in Sector 4, drifting through the crowded streets as he tries to find the place again. It takes a while, but when he finally finds it and pulls up, Andrea is a good sport and purposefully doesn’t look at the sign over the door. Waits for Cloud to lead him inside and gives a disbelieving little laugh when he realizes what the shop is.

Andrea turns to him with a grin that Cloud can’t resist returning, can’t resist kissing. “You said ice cream’s your favorite, right?”

“I did,” Andrea agrees, glancing around them at the wide selection. He takes Cloud’s hand and pulls him further inside. “Just can’t believe you remembered it. That was a while ago.”

“’Course I did,” Cloud replies, biting his lip. He glances to the register, squeezes Andrea’s hand instead of kissing it when he realizes that the cashier is watching them like a hawk. “Should be some… ‘weird’ options here,” he says, gesturing towards the cases with a chuckle.

Andrea ends up getting something with candy and marshmallows in it that makes Cloud’s teeth ache just from _looking_ at it. He opts for regular old strawberry, cringing away when Andrea tries to offer him a bite of his own and making him laugh. There are tables inside the shop, but they head outside instead, leaning against the wall to eat, because the cashier’s stare had been… unnerving. Cloud’s gotten pretty good at reading people, at picking apart the ‘homophobic asshole’ stares from the ‘I recognize you from the Honeybee Inn’ stares from the ‘that sword is enormous and terrifying, please don’t come near me’ stares from the ‘trying to figure out your gender’ stares. But he couldn’t get a read on that man at all, which is more unsettling than _any_ of those options. Luckily, he doesn’t follow them out, and they’re left to eat in peace, though a fair bit of the ice cream ends up melting as they exchange too many lingering looks and kisses.

When they finally finish, they get back on the Hardy-Daytona and head back to Sector 6. The small, busy roads of the slums make for slow going again, but they still reach the inn by late afternoon. As soon as Cloud climbs off the bike, Andrea pulls him into a long, deep kiss, uncaring of the nearby crowd as his hands slip up into Cloud’s hair and down over the curve of his ass. The blond huffs out a breath through his nose, surprised and shaky, and Andrea nips at his lip before saying quietly, “Thank you for the delightful date, sweetheart.” Cloud just shrugs, a tad uncomfortably; it feels strange to say ‘you’re welcome’ for something like that, so he doesn’t. Instead, he tilts his head to kiss him again, and when they part, Andrea’s lips drag across his jaw to his ear. “Come upstairs with me, baby?” he asks, voice pitching lower to make clear what he’s really asking.

Cloud shivers, but pulls away from Andrea slightly to give him a small smile. “Yeah,” he says, nodding. “Still got one more surprise for you, after all.” Andrea smirks at him, eyebrow cocked, and Cloud chuckles. “ _Not_ what I meant. Not that I’d object, but… not what I meant.”

“Well then, I’m excited to see what else you have in store for me,” Andrea says, smirk softening into an easy smile as he takes Cloud’s hand and steps back to lead him inside. The blond hesitates, and after a few seconds Andrea gets it. “Right,” he says with a laugh. “Let’s get _your_ baby into the back first, shall we?” Cloud gives an apologetic laugh but nods, and they spend the next few minutes awkwardly maneuvering the motorcycle down the halls of the Honeybee Inn. When they make it to the alley, Andrea wraps his arms around him from behind and murmurs into his neck jokingly, “Always so concerned for her… You’re lucky I’m not a jealous man.”

Cloud huffs out a laugh and turns his head to kiss him properly. “Yeah, I am lucky,” he says, and it comes out softer, more serious, than he meant it to. He turns around, nudging Andrea towards the door, and quickly grabs the little bottle from the saddlebag while his back is turned, shoving it into his pocket.

They make it up to Andrea’s apartment without incident, but as soon as the door is closed behind them, their progress grinds to a near halt, delayed several times when they pull each other closer or push each other up against the nearest wall or piece of furniture for more kisses. Until Andrea finally pulls back out of Cloud’s reach and asks, “Where do you want me?,” eyebrows waggling suggestively (ridiculously).

Cloud laughs and gestures down the hall. “Bedroom,” he says, but it still takes them entirely too long to get there, Andrea stopping him one more time to make out and not letting him go for several minutes. (Not that he’s complaining. _God no_ , he’d be happy to stay there with his hands in Andrea’s pockets and Andrea’s tongue exploring his mouth all day if he didn’t already have other plans in mind.) Eventually, though, he pushes him away, nudging him into the bedroom but freezing once he’s closed the door behind himself. He gives a slightly embarrassed huff of laughter in response to Andrea’s questioning look. “…Okay, I know how this is going to sound, but I’m gonna need you to take off your shirt and lay down.” The other man raises an eyebrow at him but silently obeys, and Cloud lets his gaze wander for a few moments before making a vague circular motion with his hand. “Roll over,” he says, and Andrea turns onto his stomach without question.

Cloud flicks on the dim lamp near the bed and turns off the overhead light. Then he climbs onto the bed next to Andrea, knees pressed tight to his side, and pulls the bottle of massage oil out of his pocket before peeling off his jacket and dropping it on the other side of the bed. He squeezes a few drops onto his hand and carefully sets the bottle aside. Once he’s warmed the oil between his hands, he starts at the base of Andrea’s skull, watching as his eyes flutter shut.

Andrea gives a low hum, a lazy smile spreading over his face. “Pleasant surprise indeed,” he murmurs, muscles tightening briefly before he purposefully relaxes them. “You’re just set on spoiling me today, aren’t you?” He takes a deep breath, brows furrowing. After a few moments, he guesses, “Jasmine?”

“Mmhmm. ‘S what the shopkeep recommended when I asked for something relaxing,” Cloud admits as he moves on to Andrea’s shoulders. “Wanted to get you a real present, but couldn’t think of anything you might want that you don’t already have.”

“I’d be happy with _anything_ you got me, dear.”

The blond ignores him and continues, “So then I thought a massage, ‘cause you’ve been so busy and stressed out. But the only place I know of is Madam M’s, and she only does hand massages… as far as I know,” he tacks on, eyes narrowed, because he _highly_ suspects that there’s more to her services than she advertises; Andrea just chuckles, which is confirmation enough, really. Cloud doesn’t add that he’d jumped on the idea as soon as he’d realized that he could just do it himself, because why _wouldn_ _’t_ he take the chance to simultaneously do something nice for Andrea _and_ have an excuse to touch him this much?

Cloud moves on to his back in long, slow stripes, kneeling over him to get more pressure, and Andrea groans and sinks further into the bed. “I promise, this is the _best_ possible gift you could’ve given me,” he says with a hint of amusement. He cracks an eye open to catch Cloud smiling to himself and taps at the side of his leg. “You can get closer, you know, darling.”

It takes a few seconds for him to figure out what Andrea means, but when he does, Cloud nods. He hesitates for a moment before swinging a leg over Andrea’s body, sitting to rest most of his weight on his thighs. Andrea’s muscles twitch as a small shiver runs up his spine, but he does his best to ignore it and uses the new leverage to massage deeper. His boyfriend makes a quiet sound, and Cloud pauses. “That hurt?” he asks quietly.

“Only in the good way,” Andrea assures him, only half-joking. When the blond still hesitates, he smiles and says, “It feels wonderful, sweetheart.”

Cloud nods and continues, and the next sound Andrea makes is more obviously pleasurable. He flushes, wondering whether Andrea’s putting on an act and how long he’ll be able to survive it.

* * *

It becomes obvious fairly quickly that Andrea _isn_ _’t_ just putting on a show, muscles loosening more and noises getting less restrained the longer it goes on. Having Andrea pliant and moaning under his hands has Cloud half hard before long, though. He swallows and has to rise up on his knees to resist the urge to grind against him, to interrupt the massage, because the point really _was_ to help him relax (and now Cloud’s realizing that he didn’t think this through very well, but hindsight is 20/20, after all).

“…Baby?” Andrea says after a few more minutes, voice low and tense.

“Hmm?”

“As much as I appreciate your lovely gift, I think I’d appreciate getting my hands on you even more right now.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Cloud breathes, somehow caught by surprise. Hands shaking slightly from relief or nerves or excitement or some hideous mixture of it all, he leans down to kiss Andrea’s shoulder, nodding against him. He clambers over his boyfriend and off of the bed, but holds Andrea down by the shoulder when he tries to roll over. “Wait,” he says, quiet laughter in his voice. Andrea turns his head to give him a questioning look but settles back down, watching as Cloud disappears into the bathroom. “Sorry, gonna ruin one of your fancy towels,” he says quietly when he returns and starts wiping the massage oil off his back.

Andrea chuckles and says dismissively, “It’ll wash.”

Cloud nods, and the moment that he drops the towel to the floor, Andrea is off the bed and all over him again. Backs him into the wall and kisses him hard, groaning into his mouth. Cloud arches into it and clutches him close with one hand wrapped around his neck and the other pressed tight to his back. He sweeps his tongue between Andrea’s lips, eyes drifting shut, and tries to press impossibly closer, as if he could melt into him if he tried hard enough. Then Andrea gets a leg between his, and Cloud breaks away with a whine. He pulls Andrea back for another kiss before he’s even caught his breath again, hips rolling against him, but it’s not nearly enough. Not after he’s just spent god-knows-how-long (probably not _nearly_ as long as it felt) with the tease of having Andrea laid out beneath him, skin to skin.

Andrea must feel the same, because he pulls back after a minute, breathing hard. “Turn around for me, darling?” he murmurs, taking a step back out of his space. Cloud gives him a curious look but does so, breath hitching when Andrea kisses the back of his neck, lips lingering and sending goosebumps over his skin. “Let’s get you out of this, hmm?”

His fingers latch onto the zipper on the back of the dress but freeze there, and Cloud realizes after a few moments that it’s an actual question. He nods, muscles tensing in anticipation, and Andrea takes it as slow as humanly possible, pressing his lips to each inch of skin he reveals until he’d have to kneel to go any farther. He brushes over the fabric on Cloud’s shoulders, and the blond takes the hint and shrugs it off, stepping out of the material as it pools at his feet. He shivers as the cool air hits his skin and turns back to Andrea, but stops short at the look on his face—there’s heat in his eyes, but also something softer, something like adoration, that almost hurts to look at—and can’t resist pulling him in for another long kiss.

Cloud runs his hands up over Andrea’s toned chest, a sly smile growing at the way his breath catches. He pulls back to watch his boyfriend’s face carefully as he experimentally drags his thumbs back down over his nipples, satisfied with his discovery when Andrea exhales softly and his hands come up to clutch at Cloud’s shoulders. Andrea interrupts his exploration after a few moments though, pulling him tight against his body to drag his lips up his neck and whisper into his ear. “What do you want, sweetheart?”

Cloud nearly chokes at the plethora of mental images that pop up in response, but manages a smirk when he says, “That’s a dangerous question.” Andrea just raises an eyebrow curiously, eyes twinkling, so he explains, “There are a _lot_ of things I want.”

“We’ve got time,” Andrea replies. “And there isn’t much I would deny you if you asked.”

“ _Dangerous_ ,” Cloud repeats with a breathless laugh. He tugs at Andrea’s belt loops. “But getting these off would be a good start.” He nods, moving to undo his pants, but Cloud pushes his hands away. Unbuttons and unzips them himself. He hooks his thumbs under the waistband of both pants and underwear, shooting Andrea a questioning look and waiting for his tiny nod before pulling them down. He drops to his knees to tug them off the rest of the way, lingering there for a minute and staring up through his lashes for the look in Andrea’s eyes, for the quiet groan it teases out of him. The rush of heat that runs through him is just a little surprising, as is the temptation to just… _stay_ there, but he pushes that idea down, saves it for another time.

Cloud wraps a hand around Andrea’s cock, stroking as he stands back up. There’s a thought in the back of his mind that maybe he should be at least a _bit_ hesitant about this, considering that in more than 20 years, he never once imagined touching another man’s dick, but frankly, the past few months have probably made up for the rest of his life combined. Then the thought is chased away entirely by Andrea’s moan and he can’t stop himself from echoing the sound. “ _Fuck_ , Andrea…” he groans, head dropping to the other man’s shoulder. From this angle, it’s impossible to avoid the sight of Andrea’s cock swelling under his hand, and then Andrea’s hips rock forward slightly, thrusting into his grip, and it’s impossible to look _away_.

At least, until Andrea gets impatient and pulls his chin up to catch his lips in a messy kiss. He gently pushes Cloud’s hand away and backs up a step to drop onto the edge of the bed, pulling him closer with a grip on his hips. “I think you’re a bit overdressed now,” he says, smirking up at the blond as he runs his thumbs over his waistband.

Cloud hesitates for just a moment, a rush of nerves hitting suddenly, before stripping off his leggings and boxers. Andrea’s gaze rakes over him, and the desire clear in his eyes when he meets Cloud’s again sets his heart racing, threatens to leave him weak-kneed. He sits down on the bed next to Andrea and captures his lips again, one arm wrapped around his neck to keep him close while the other wanders over whatever bare skin he can reach—his chest, his biceps, his legs. Andrea has one hand settled against the small of his back, and the other drops to his thigh. He doesn’t seem to notice when his fingers clench, clutching tight enough to bruise, but Cloud just shudders and presses even closer.

Cloud eventually lays back, pulling Andrea with him until he settles over him on his forearms, their mouths hardly parting for more than a moment. A hand slips into his hair, carding through it before suddenly gripping tight and tugging, and he muffles a surprised moan against Andrea’s lips. Lifts his head to feel the pull and has to break away from the kiss to pant for air when Andrea’s grip doesn’t relent. “ _Fuck_ ,” he mutters, voice ragged.

Andrea stares down at him with hooded eyes for a long moment before releasing his hair. He rolls their hips together, groaning, and Cloud arches into him with a quiet, needy noise. “What do you want?” he asks again, nearly a whisper, and he’s probably just trying to tease, but Cloud can’t help the words that fall out of his mouth.

“Whatever you’ll give me,” he says, thankful for the fact that his skin is already red enough that the blush at his own thoughtless, desperate answer probably won’t show. He can see Andrea’s throat bob as he swallows, and it takes a few moments for him to compose himself enough to reply. It’s a nice change, to not be the only one hit so hard.

“Already told you I’d give you just about anything, didn’t I?” Andrea murmurs against his lips, but he seems to come to his own decision quickly enough, pressing kisses to the corner of Cloud’s mouth, his cheek, and down his jaw.

Cloud clings tight to Andrea, gasping and tilting his head to give him more access as he makes his way slowly down his neck again and over his shoulder. His lips take an unexpected detour, tracing haphazard paths down each of his arms, and Cloud laughs quietly. “What are you…?”

Andrea glances back up to meet his eyes, grinning. He pushes back up over Cloud for a quick kiss and answers matter-of-factly, “I’ve decided that it’s my personal mission to kiss every single freckle on your beautiful body.”

Cloud rolls his eyes even as his breath catches. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe,” Andrea replies with a shrug, “But that’s not going to stop me. Besides, you knew what you were getting into.”

He huffs out another laugh and wraps a hand around Andrea’s neck to pull him down for another kiss. “Not sure I did,” he jokes when they part and Andrea’s lips drift down to his chest. He presses a lingering kiss over Cloud’s heart before moving to tease a nipple with his tongue. Cloud bites his lip hard, and Andrea grins wickedly and sucks it into his mouth, teasing a loud whine out of him before he continues on. His lips jump from one spot to another, following the map of freckles down Cloud’s body. He stops when he gets to his knee, then kisses back up the other leg. Cloud’s fingers twitch and curl into the sheets; he wants to touch, needs something to do with his hands, but Andrea is just out of reach. Andrea’s lips drag over his inner thigh, muscles twitching under the touch, and he pauses there to nip at the sensitive skin, chuckling against it when Cloud’s leg jerks reflexively.

When he’s finally had enough of teasing, Andrea hovers over Cloud’s cock, eyes darting between it and his face like he can’t decide which he’d rather watch. He kisses down to the base, humming low and pleased when Cloud reaches for him and curls a hand over the back of his head. Then he licks a long stripe back up the underside, lapping up the precum beading at the head before smirking wickedly and taking it into his mouth. Cloud’s head drops back against the pillow with a groan, but he forces it back up after a few breaths and props himself up on his elbows, because he wants to see— _needs_ to see—isn’t sure he’s ever needed anything more in his _life_. Andrea catches his gaze and holds it as he sinks down on his cock, and a low, desperate sound drags itself out of Cloud’s throat.

Andrea bobs his head, licking and sucking at his length, and Cloud's positive he's _never_ felt anything more amazing than his mouth. He's babbling, not even sure what he's saying, swears and Andrea's name and Shiva knows what else falling from his lips, but whatever it is eggs Andrea on, makes him press closer or suck harder as he shifts restlessly above him.

Cloud’s muscles burn with the effort of holding himself back, of not just fucking into that incredible, wet heat. He has to drag his eyes away for a few moments, focus on pulling air into his lungs. But the moment he looks back and catches Andrea still staring up at him, lips stretched around his cock, any control he’d managed to find is lost. His hips twitch up, but he doesn’t even have time to _think_ of pushing Andrea away or apologizing. His boyfriend moans around him, the vibrations sending a shudder through Cloud’s whole body, and one of Andrea’s hands leaves him to tug at his own cock. Cloud bites his lip as an embarrassingly loud moan escapes. “Fuck, you’re gonna kill me,” he says breathlessly, unable to look away. Andrea doesn’t stop to respond, but Cloud can see the familiar self-satisfied gleam in his eye.

His other hand moves slow so he doesn’t lose his balance, getting a grip around Cloud’s hip and urging it up. “Sh-shit,” Cloud mutters when he realizes what Andrea’s asking for. “You sure?” Andrea just holds his gaze and presses at him again. He swallows harshly and nods, carefully getting his feet under himself and giving a small, experimental thrust. Andrea’s eyes flutter and he groans quietly, hand dropping away from Cloud’s body to support his own weight again. The blond presses a little farther, a little harder, and Andrea just… _takes_ it. Looks for all the world like there’s nothing else he’d rather do. It hits Cloud like a punch to the gut, steals his breath away. It isn’t long before he’s fucking up into Andrea’s mouth, the sounds he makes around him spurring him on.

Just as he can feel his climax approaching, Andrea pulls off of him with a wet sound. Cloud can’t help the frustrated noise that falls from his mouth as he drops back to the pillow, but Andrea, ever the tease, ignores it. He drags his lips across the inside of his thigh before sitting up to let his eyes roam over Cloud’s body. “God, you look so good like this, baby,” he says almost absently, voice low as he jerks himself off in long, slow strokes. Cloud gives a quiet, bitten-off noise, and Andrea’s eyes snap back up to his face, gaze sharpening again as he adds, “Look at you, Cloud… So fucking _perfect_.” Cloud whines, hips twitching up, and the other man takes mercy on him. He slides down again, licks at the head of his cock, and says, “Wanna see you fall apart for me, gorgeous. Will you let me? ”

Cloud opens his mouth, not even sure what he’s going to say, but all that comes out is a breathless shout as Andrea takes him in his mouth again and sinks all the way down, swallowing around him. “F-fuck! Andrea!” Andrea groans, hands moving to curl under Cloud’s ass and encourage him to move again. He does, and soon he’s chasing his orgasm blindly. It doesn’t take long. “Hah, A-Andrea! I—I’m close—” he tries to warn, pushing weakly at his head, but Andrea just pushes closer. His eyes meet Cloud’s again as he moans around him, and he’s _gone_ , back arching hard off the bed as he cums down Andrea’s throat.

It feels like he’s floating, but somehow he manages to catch Andrea through the haze. Cloud pulls him back up for a desperate kiss, groaning loud at the taste of himself on Andrea’s tongue. “ _Gaia_ , Andrea…” One hand curls over the back of his head, keeping him close, and the other slides down over his chest and stomach to wrap around his cock. He jerks him off fast and messy, swallowing the noise that drags itself out of Andrea’s throat. It doesn’t take much, he’s already tense and so damn close it must _hurt_ , and Cloud’s moan rivals Andrea’s when he feels his cock throb and spill hot over his hand and stomach. “Fucking hell,” Cloud pants as Andrea’s head drops, breath warm on his shoulder. Andrea nods with a wordless hum, hovering there for a few more moments before rolling onto the bed next to him.

It takes Cloud a while to remember how to _breathe_ properly, much less think.

* * *

“Cloud?”

“Mm?”

“You alright there, sweetheart?” Andrea sounds kind of amused. Cloud blinks at the ceiling. Nods slowly. Wonders if Andrea’s been trying to get his attention for long. “Tired?”

“…No.”

Andrea’s face appears in his line of sight suddenly. “Do you just get a bit… ‘out of it’ after sex, then? I’m a little… concerned. Let me know what’s going on in that head of yours, darling.”

Cloud takes a moment to process the words and huffs out a quiet laugh, turning his focus back to his boyfriend. “Nothing.” He gives a lazy half shrug. “Not a bad thing.”

“Should I take it as a compliment that I finally found a way to shut your brain off for a bit, then?” he asks, smirking.

“Sure,” the blond replies with a roll of his eyes, aiming for sarcasm and not quite sure if he hits the mark. He realizes distantly that he's been cleaned off, wonders when and how Andrea got up to manage that without him noticing.

“You ridiculous thing,” Andrea says, though it’s far too fond to be an insult. “I—come here.” He stretches his arm out, and Cloud curls closer, resting his head on it. Andrea wraps his other arm around Cloud and kisses his forehead.

There are words perched on the tip of Cloud’s tongue—too much, _far_ too soon, words that he’s not even sure of, that might only be a product of hormones and whatever the hell else his brain is doing to leave him in this daze. He keeps his mouth closed, holding them in, and gives a quiet, pleased hum instead. Tilts his head up for a kiss and lets his eyes slip closed. “Maybe just a _little_ tired, actually,” he admits.

“Sleep, then,” Andrea says, smiling softly. Cloud hums again, ambivalent, and he chuckles. “I’ll still be here when you wake up,” he promises. “We’ve got all the time in the world, sweetheart.”

Cloud nods slightly, already drifting, and nuzzles in even closer, as close as he can manage without it becoming uncomfortable. “Night,” he mutters, purely out of habit, smiling when Andrea echoes it with a quiet laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I have to say is thank you to that one YouTube commenter who’s comment I saw floating around tumblr at some point, who pointed out that the luxury hand massage scene canonically established Cloud as a noisy bottom lmao. And to the devs, of course, for giving us that scene (and Cloud’s hilarious blissed-out daze afterward) in the first place.
> 
> Ah, right, and the restaurant was partially inspired by Iridescence in Detroit, where I would very much like to go someday haha
> 
> ETA: There is quite a lot of bullshit going on in my life right now that's making me really depressed, but the biggest things are the honestly very unhealthy way I've been dealing with this fic lately, and some major negative changes at work. But put all together, I'm generally just spiralling very badly, and one of the many consequences is that I have been very, very tempted to delete this fic lately (again), if not everything on my account. So I'm going to go on hiatus for a while for the sake of my mental health. I honestly have no idea how long it'll be. Maybe a few days, maybe a few months. But if I do any writing during that time, it will be for myself and myself alone and will not be posted. In the meantime, I'm going to hand over my account to my lovely friend Jill (teafaun) so that I don't end up doing anything that I know I'll regret later. I love you all, and I'm sorry for the very abrupt departure, but I promise I will be back and this will be finished. This fic has always been my self-indulgent pet project, and with almost the entire thing outlined and many future chapters already partially written, I would never be able to forgive myself if I dropped it entirely. So, hopefully I will see you all (relatively) soon! <3


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Everything's still kind of a mess and I hate my writing right now, and I don't know whether I'm really _back_ back or not, but. It's been driving me crazy _not_ to write, so. Here's another chapter, I guess?
> 
> I took some liberties with Cloud's backstory, since there are things we don't know from canon and probably some things that _are_ in canon that I've forgotten.

True to his word, Andrea’s still there when Cloud awakens a few hours later; in fact, he’s apparently fallen asleep himself. Cloud doesn’t move a muscle, not wanting to wake him. Just… watches, for a bit. The way the light plays over his features, slack in sleep. The steady rise and fall of his chest under Cloud’s hand. The twitch of his mouth as he dreams, almost but not quite a smile. His heart clenches, and he can’t quite resist the urge to lean in and press a kiss to those lips, though he regrets it slightly when Andrea blinks awake.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Andrea says, voice rough. He laughs and pulls Cloud closer against him. “Or are you the prince? Awakening me from eternal slumber with your kiss.”

Cloud snorts. “Eternal, huh?”

He shrugs, grinning. “You _do_ always tell me I sleep too much.”

“No, I don’t.”

“But you’re always thinking it.” A long silence follows the statement, and he laughs again. “Knew it.” He hums, twisting to glance at the clock on the bedside table. “How long have you been up, darling?”

“Not long.”

“Good. Wouldn’t want you to get lonely without me,” Andrea says, smile growing when Cloud rolls his eyes. He releases his hold on the blond to stretch and slowly sits up. “Hungry?”

“Mm. Kind of. Hasn’t been _that_ long since lunch, though.”

“Well, hopefully your appetite is back by the time I’ve finished making dinner, but if not we can save it for later. I’ve got a surprise for you. Or… I _will_. I have to make it first, obviously.” Cloud raises an eyebrow, but he just shakes his head. “You’ll see. You just stay here, get some more rest. Or go watch TV in the living room.”

“I’m not allowed to see what you’re making?”

“No, I told you, it’s a surprise!”

“Alright,” Cloud agrees with a bemused chuckle. He sits up to grab his clothes off the floor, sweaty and covered in dirt from the roads, and grimaces. “Can I borrow something to wear?” he asks. Andrea’s eyes light up like his birthday’s come early, and Cloud suddenly remembers how he’d reacted the last time he’d worn his clothes.

Andrea stands to dig through his closet, glancing back at Cloud a few times to eye him consideringly, then hands him a pile of clothes after a few minutes. “Here you are.”

Somehow, Cloud feels more awkward getting dressed than he did naked. He can feel Andrea’s eyes on him, can picture the look on his face even as he turns away to pull on the jeans and the navy blue v-neck. He turns back to Andrea and catches his grin as he pulls the too-long sleeves down. Cloud raises an eyebrow and says dryly, “I think I’m seeing a pattern here.”

Andrea shrugs unapologetically. “What can I say? It’s adorable.” He holds out a hand, reeling Cloud in for a kiss when he takes it. “Mm, okay,” he says, resting their foreheads together, “You go sit down. I’ll have dinner ready in a bit.”

“Alright,” the blond agrees, though he keeps hold of Andrea’s hand until they reach the end of the hall. Then he heads for the couch, picking up the book they’d abandoned on the coffee table sometime last week. “Have you read this one before?” he asks as his boyfriend begins digging through the fridge. “Or should I hold off on reading ahead?”

Andrea hums in thought, then shrugs. “Just read out loud; I can hear you alright.”

Cloud chuckles uncomfortably but nods in agreement. “Okay.”

He starts reading, expecting it not to take long, but it’s about half an hour before Andrea comes to join him on the couch, lifting Cloud’s feet to sit down and dropping them back on his lap. Cloud pauses. “Keep going,” Andrea urges quietly. He hesitates for a moment but continues. Another 20 minutes and a timer goes off. Andrea grins and pats his leg. “C’mon, it should be ready now.”

Cloud follows him curiously, sliding onto one of the stools and watching Andrea’s back as he serves them up, carefully hiding the dish until he’s ready to present it. Finally, he sits down next to Cloud, placing a bowl in front of each of them, and waits, watching silently for his reaction. Cloud glances down and his breath leaves him. “… _Oh_ ,” he says faintly. “How…?”

“I may have been a little nosy,” Andrea admits with a guilty smile. “I saw the recipe on your nightstand and snapped a picture of it while you were in the bathroom. I thought maybe it’d be a pleasant surprise, but… Now I’m realizing that it might’ve actually been a very _bad_ idea to spring this on you without warning…” he finishes, peering at the blond worriedly.

Cloud shakes his head, blinking back the tears that swarm his vision. “No. No, it’s… it’s nice,” he says quietly. He lifts his spoon slowly and takes a bite of the casserole, a shaky exhale escaping after he swallows.

“I’m sure it’s nothing compared to your mother’s, but… I hope it’s alright anyways,” Andrea says, still watching him carefully. His own food sits untouched.

Cloud nods. “It’s… it’s good,” he manages. “…Thank you, Andrea.”

“Oh, sweetheart…” Andrea murmurs, pulling Cloud into a sudden hug, holding his head to his chest tightly.

It isn’t until he sees the wet spot spreading on Andrea’s shirt that Cloud realizes his attempt to stop himself from crying failed. “Sorry,” he says with a weak laugh. “I didn’t think…” He pauses. Swallows. Shrugs. “Didn’t think something like this would really… hit me so hard, you know? It’s… such a small thing.” Cloud’s hand jumps to his mouth, pressing tightly to hold in the sob that tries to tear its way out. “Sorry,” he repeats.

Andrea shakes his head. “You have _nothing_ to feel sorry for, Cloud,” he whispers insistently. “ _I_ _’m_ sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Sometimes even the smallest things can be powerful reminders of people we’ve lost or left behind, though. I still can’t hear thunder without thinking of the past.”

“It’s okay. It’s… good, I think. I mean. It hurts, but… they’re good memories.” He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he lifts his arms to cling to Andrea’s shirt. Part curiosity, part desperate bid for distraction, Cloud asks, “Thunder?”

Andrea just shakes his head again. “A story for another time, I think.”

“…Okay.” They stay like that for a few more minutes before Cloud pulls away and turns back to his food.

“Darling, you don’t have to force yourself—I can—”

“’m not,” Cloud says quietly. “I want to.” He takes a few more bites and breathes deeply. “My mom, her… her name was Claudia,” he says, because it’s easiest to start there. Something simple, impersonal.

Andrea watches him for a few moments, probably waiting for a sign that he might break down again. Eventually he asks softly, “Were you named after her, then?”

Cloud shrugs. “Never actually asked, but… I assume so.” Andrea hums in acknowledgment and gives him an encouraging nod. “My dad died when I was so young I don’t even really remember him, so she… She had to work really hard to keep food on the table. Worked two jobs, as a waitress and a nail artist in the closest decent-sized town. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to join SOLDIER in the first place, so I could send money back home. She was always—” He cuts himself off, chuckling suddenly, and Andrea gives him a curious smile.

“What?” he asks, reaching to gently run his fingers through Cloud’s hair.

“She, um… She always used to tell me that I should find someone older who would take care of me.” He glances away, laughing at the memory even as his cheeks burn. _An older girl,_ she’d said, technically, but Cloud can’t imagine that she’d disapprove of Andrea—of _anyone_ who made him happy and could talk some sense into him when he got too stuck in his own head, really. Andrea smiles but says nothing, so Cloud continues quietly. “I bet she would’ve loved you. Well. Once she got over how… _much_ you are, anyways. Still a small town mom, after all,” he finishes with a chuckle.

Andrea huffs out a laugh, eyes glued to Cloud’s face as he continues absently combing through his hair. “I wish I could’ve met her,” he says gently, and the blond nods.

“…Yeah. Me too.” He stops talking to take a few more bites, slow, savoring each one.

Andrea is the one to eventually break the silence. “What was she like?” he asks quietly, as if softening his voice could soften the blow of the resurfacing memories.

“…Caring,” Cloud answers eventually. “And overbearing. But only because she was always so worried about me, and I can’t blame her. I was—” He pauses, the words in his head disappearing under a haze of static. He shakes his head, gathers his thoughts again, and says, “I didn’t exactly take the safest path, and I wasn’t great at taking care of myself, even in the most basic ways. Only survived while I was with Shinra because the company kept us sheltered and fed. If they hadn’t, I would’ve been more likely to die from starvation than a monster.”

Andrea frowns worriedly, but his voice is purposefully light when he says, “Well, that’s obviously changed.”

“Mm. Guess so,” Cloud says, though he privately disagrees. Sure, he can keep himself fed now, but he knows he’s still on a dangerous path, knows he’s still not great at taking care of himself in other ways. Silence settles, and he eats to bide his time, trying to build up to the hard part. The one thing about his mother that nobody but he and Sephiroth knows. The part that stings like hell. The part that he can’t say but _needs_ to. The part that he has to voice to make _real_ , to accept. He takes a deep breath and lets it out shakily. “She… She didn’t die… in the fire. Not exactly. Sephiroth, he—he killed her himself.”

Andrea holds a hand up to stop him, brows furrowed. “Sephiroth. The…?”

“Yeah. The ‘war hero.’” Cloud snorts. He doesn’t try to hide the bitter edge to his voice when he adds, “Funny the things they _don_ _’t_ tell you about SOLDIERs.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like the fact that we’re all just… _experiments_ ,” he spits. He pauses, brows furrowed, trying to remember the details. How he found that out and why. Something… something about Genesis. Right?

“…Cloud?”

“Sorry,” Cloud says, turning his attention back to Andrea and trying his best to ignore his look of concern. “We… I just meant… the mako, you know?” He doesn’t know why he’s lying, but it’s _not_ a lie, not really. It’s _part_ of the truth, but it’s the part everyone knows.

“…Right,” Andrea replies. He’s got that look again, like he’s filing something away for later, and Cloud doesn’t know whether to be terrified or relieved that maybe someone else will piece the puzzle together before he does. “Is that why Sephiroth…?”

“Went crazy and killed my mother and burned down my hometown?” Cloud finishes bluntly, unsurprised by the way his boyfriend flinches. “No. Not really.”

 _Did he_ really _kill her, though? Or was it really the fire?_ Cloud wonders. The memory is fuzzy, probably for good reason. And he isn’t sure whether it’s safe to believe Sephiroth, even the _illusion_ of Sephiroth that’s been planted in his head, that pops up at the most inconvenient times to taunt and terrify him all over again. Isn’t sure how much of what he remembers from that period is actually memory and how much is the man he’d once idolized fucking with his head. Isn’t sure why he can’t really remember much _at_ _all_ from that period.

Not that it would really matter to anyone but him. Either way, it was Sephiroth’s doing.

“Then why…?”

Cloud takes a deep breath and lets it out on a long sigh, poking at the food with his spoon. “It’s… a really long story.” One that he isn’t ready to get into yet. Luckily, Andrea seems to understand.

“Okay,” he says, hand dropping from Cloud’s hair to catch his hand. He squeezes gently and says, “Another time, then.”

Cloud nods, knowing that Andrea will let it go forever if he never brings it up again. So he swears to himself that he will. He can’t hide from this forever, and he certainly doesn’t want to hide from _Andrea_ forever. He deserves the truth, and Cloud wants to tell it. Just… not yet.

They finish the meal in silence and do the dishes together, Cloud leaning into Andrea’s side as he dries their plates. Andrea leads him back to the couch when they’re done, and they curl up together with some movie playing. Cloud couldn’t care less what the movie is, even begrudges it a bit when it drowns out whatever Andrea murmurs into his hair and all he catches is, “—darling boy.”

Andrea shifts at some point, probably thinking he’s asleep, and Cloud wraps a hand in his shirt and very pointedly doesn’t move. “No.”

Andrea gives a quiet laugh and rubs his back soothingly for few moments. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart. I was only going to—”

“Nope. I know exactly what you were going to do,” Cloud cuts him off, looking up at him with an eyebrow cocked challengingly. “But it can wait ‘til tomorrow. You’re supposed to be taking a break today, remember?”

“…You didn’t say _all_ day,” Andrea hedges. Cloud sighs and frowns at him. He widens his eyes and sticks out his lower lip a bit, fully aware of what he’s doing and feeling incredibly stupid for it. But it works. Andrea groans and runs a hand over his face. “That’s just not fair,” he complains, even as he settles back against the arm of the couch again.

Cloud huffs out a laugh and pushes himself up slightly to kiss him. “Never said I’d play fair,” he points out, grinning.

Andrea rolls his eyes, but chuckles and draws him in for another kiss. “You never do.” Cloud’s brows furrow and he kisses there, too, not bothering to explain. Then he sinks his weight into the cushion and adjusts again, arm wrapped around the blond and holding him close.

Cloud huffs, but he’s still smiling when he counters, “Neither do you.”

* * *

Cloud doesn’t fall asleep again until the early hours of the morning and doesn’t wake until nearly noon, sleep schedule thoroughly fucked by the previous day, but he can’t bring himself to care all that much. Not like he had anything pressing to attend to anyway. He _does_ , however, care about the fact that Andrea’s managed to somehow worm his way out from under him without waking him up. He makes his way down the hall and knocks lightly on the bedroom door before pushing it open. “Hey,” he says quietly, leaning against the doorframe.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Andrea says, glancing up from his work. He’s sitting cross-legged on the bed, surrounded by papers in some kind of organized chaos that Cloud can’t make heads or tails of. He tips his head up for a kiss as the blond walks closer and smiles into it.

“Morning,” Cloud echoes, crawling onto the bed behind him. He kneels, plastering himself against Andrea’s back and looping his arms loosely around his neck. He presses another kiss to his nape, then one to his cheek. The casual affection comes easier than usual, and he smiles against Andrea’s skin before turning his attention to the papers. “Still can’t tell me what’s going on?” he guesses.

His boyfriend chuckles, patting Cloud’s arm and then absently holding onto it. “Afraid not, darling. As much as I’d love it if I figured everything out in a day, I haven’t.”

“’Kay.” He nuzzles into his neck for a moment before pulling away and sliding back off the bed. “Hope you get it soon. I’m gonna go get ready.”

“Alright. You’re more than welcome to stick around if you’d like, though I can’t promise to be great company.” Cloud nods and gives him a half-smile before slipping out the door. He pulls on his boots and makes his way downstairs to find something to wear, freezing when he finds Cash in the dressing room.

The other man gives him a once over in the mirror with a raised eyebrow and a huff of laughter, but only says, “Don’t mind me. I’m just getting things ready.”

“You’re not usually in here so early,” Cloud says, brows furrowed. It doesn’t make any sense for him to be setting up when nobody else will be down for hours.

Cash glances away with a shrug. “Well, it’s not the… ‘usual’ situation,” he says evasively. He ignores the questioning noise that Cloud makes behind him in favor of asking, “If you don’t have extra clothes upstairs, then I’m guessing you don’t have any of your makeup there either?”

“…No.”

“Well,” Cash says, pulling a few tubes and brushes out of the vanity drawer and setting them on top. “You can borrow some of these, if you want. Just bring ‘em back before everyone starts getting ready for tonight’s show.”

Cloud freezes midway through buttoning up his blouse. “…You’re trusting me with your good stuff?” he asks, surprised.

Cash shrugs again, trying to act like it doesn’t really matter when it obviously does. “Yeah, well… Just don’t use too much of it,” he says with a teasing grin. “And it’s just this once! You should start keeping some of your own up there if you’re gonna be staying at Andrea’s all the time.”

The blond shrugs uncomfortably and finishes dressing. “…You sure?” he asks when he’s done, moving closer to Cash’s station.

“Yep,” he answers with a smile. It’s real, but from this close, it’s obvious how tired it is, too.

“You alright?”

“Hmm?” Cash tilts his head questioningly, then gives a quiet laugh. “Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. Just got a lot to think about right now.”

Cloud shifts, crossing his arms uncomfortably. “If you wanna talk…”

“I’m _fine_ ,” he insists, patting Cloud’s arm. He grins cheekily. “Just take it already and get back to your man.”

Cloud rolls his eyes but nods, picking up the makeup. He watches Cash for a few more seconds before retreating and making his way back upstairs. He heads for the bathroom and sets everything down, then leans forward to rest his arm on the counter in an attempt to steady it and get closer to the mirror. It only takes a few minutes for the position to get annoying, and he shifts his weight uncomfortably. His arm is starting to go numb where it rests on the counter, too. He growls and steps back, standing up straight and glaring at his reflection. After a few seconds of consideration, he turns to sit on the counter, swinging his legs over the side and sliding closer to the mirror. The angle is better, even if the counter’s too narrow and it feels like he might fall off. Movement out of the corner of Cloud’s eye draws his attention, and he glances up to see Andrea leaning in the doorway, watching him with a tender smile.

Cloud tilts his head curiously, and Andrea steps into the room to wrap an arm around his waist. “Don’t mind me, dear,” he says, squeezing him and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. He steps back again after a moment, smiling at him in the mirror. “I’ll get out of your hair.” Then he’s gone, and Cloud is left blinking at the empty space where he’d been standing. He shakes his head, huffing out a laugh, and goes back to what he was doing.

* * *

Cloud lingers around Andrea’s apartment all day, and returns after the night’s show. The thought of heading back to his own barely even crosses his mind, and is completely unappealing when it does.

Andrea doesn’t mention it, but it’s impossible _not_ to notice the new addition to the living room when they get back upstairs: a vanity in the corner by the speaker, not one from the dressing rooms but the same size, with lights that can be flipped on along the edges. Cloud stares at it for a long minute before glancing over to find Andrea watching _him,_ waiting for his reaction. _Of course_ he noticed such a small, silly thing. _Of course_ he decided to do something absolutely unnecessary just to make Cloud’s life that tiny bit easier, to make him that tiny bit happier, to make him that tiny bit more comfortable in Andrea’s space. Cloud takes his hand and reels him in closer, resting his forehead on his shoulder as he tries to find the right words, tries to express the quiet ache in his chest every time he realizes just how much attention Andrea pays and how much he’d do for him without ever even being asked. He can’t. He isn’t even sure there _are_ words for it. So instead, Cloud wraps his other arm around Andrea and pulls him tight against him, buries his face in his neck, presses a kiss there, and just… stays. Sinks into the feeling and lingers for god knows how long in Andrea’s arms.

Such a small, silly, completely inconsequential thing, so why does it mean _so much_?

“Thank you,” he murmurs into Andrea’s skin.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Andrea replies, pressing a kiss to his temple.

Cloud lets his boyfriend go eventually, following him back to the bed with the mess of papers still sprawled all over it. He climbs over them, careful not to kneel on any, and sits back against the wall. He watches as Andrea changes, settles in, and gets back to work. Even though it’s a little worrying how engrossed he gets, he’s just as beautiful here as he is on the stage: every bit as captivating in loose sweatpants and a tight tanktop as in a tailored, revealing costume, all of his wild energy still laser-focused on building up the dream he’d made for himself. Cloud resists the urge to reach out and touch, to distract him again and draw that intoxicating focus back to himself. He keeps his hands firmly in his own lap and forces himself to behave, to only watch until he gets tired enough to sleep.

Andrea jerks out of his near-trance when Cloud stands to strip down to his boxers before crawling back into bed. “That late already?”

Cloud nods, glancing at the clock. “Past midnight. You ready to go to sleep yet?” he asks, already knowing what the answer will be.

“Mm, not yet,” Andrea replies with a shake of his head. He catches Cloud’s expression and leans down to kiss him, promising, “Soon.”

“Alright,” Cloud says with a nod. “Night.”

“Goodnight, darling.”

* * *

Cloud returns to Sector 7 the next day, but only long enough to check in with Tifa and grab some of his clothes and other things. It’s only so he can stop stealing Andrea’s clothes and the outfits meant for performances, but Cash’s words hover in the back of his head as he fills the vanity with his makeup, as he drops his toothbrush and hair gel in the bathroom, as he watches Andrea silently smile and make space for his things in the closet.

Andrea stays busy all week. Cloud leaves him be for the most part, taking on his own jobs and spending time with the bees or finding other ways to busy himself. But he drags him out of the bedroom for meals, forces him to take the occasional break, lures him into bed when he wakes up in the middle of the night and the lamp’s still on.

It feels good to be the one taking care of Andrea for once, instead of the other way around.

It feels good to see how easily Andrea makes room for him in his life, how easily they move around each other and fit together even though everything in Cloud tells him that it should be so much harder.

It feels good to get a glimpse of what the future could look like, if he lets it.

Cloud tries not to think about it all too much, because it’s big and overwhelming and makes his stomach churn in some sick mixture of excitement and fear when he does, but… It’s hard _not_ to think about it sometimes. When he catches sight of their reflections, side-by-side as they brush their teeth. When they cook together and dance around each other in the small kitchen so smoothly. When he falls asleep with Andrea curled tight around him, breath warm on the back of his neck.

It’s all too much, but somehow he still wants _more_. Wants this _every_ day. Thinks that he might never _stop_ wanting more and more and _more_ of Andrea, no matter how much he gets. It’s huge and terrifying and he wants it _all_.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I am officially back. Still going to be taking my time with updates, though, and trying very hard to stop comparing myself. Nothing good happens that way, and I wanna be able to keep _enjoying_ writing this fic even if it's not the greatest thing ever.
> 
> At least half of this chapter is smut. It starts a few paragraphs after the break and goes until the end of the chapter. Please heed the tags. Although they don't apply super strongly to this chapter, they will (except for the voyeurism) come back in later chapters and be much more relevant further down the line.

When Andrea finally emerges from the cave he’s made of the bedroom, stretching and grinning, Cloud drops his phone and stands to meet him with a kiss. “Finally done?” he asks with a small smile.

“Mmhmm.”

“Good. Wanna get out for a while?”

“ _God yes._ ”

Cloud chuckles and heads to the door to slip on his boots. “Where to?”

“Anywhere in the sun,” Andrea answers with a laugh.

Cloud nods and starts leading the way out of the inn, though he really has no idea where to go. He takes Andrea’s hand and they wander in silence for a while, out of Wall Market and down the roads beyond. He glances up after a while to find Andrea staring into the distance with a blank look on his face. “…Wanna talk about it?” he offers hesitantly. _He_ sure as hell wouldn’t want to, after dealing with whatever bullshit Andrea has been for the past two weeks.

Andrea hums absently. “Did you hear about the recent photoshoot that Cash was the makeup artist for?”

“Mmhmm…”

“Well, he’s gotten another. Longer, with a more well-known model. When I said that someone will be gone the week that our guest, Mr. Sorata, is here, that’s what I was referring to.” He sighs, expression turning bittersweet. “I don’t begrudge him his passion, of course. I’m ecstatic for him, in fact. But… I have to admit it’s a bit sad to think that I may soon have to set my oldest bee free.”

“Mm… I doubt it,” Cloud says after a moment of thought.

“…Why do you say that?”

“You guys’re his family, right? I don’t think he’d leave. Not permanently. Maybe he’ll take on more side jobs, but… He’s not gonna quit completely, much less move out.”

“You seem so sure of that,” Andrea says with a weak smile. “I envy you that.”

“Then why don’t you just ask him what he wants to do? Cash wouldn’t lie to you.”

“I know he wouldn’t, but… Mm. I suppose you’re right, it just… doesn’t feel like my place to pry.”

“Hey,” Cloud says, waiting until Andrea meets his eyes to continue. “Think you’re forgetting something.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re not just his boss; you’re his _friend_. One of his closest. He’s not gonna be upset about you asking about his plans. In fact, that’s part of why I don’t think he’ll leave—because he would’ve already come to talk to you about it if he was going to.”

Andrea’s silent for a long moment before squeezing his hand. “You’re right, of course,” he says, though he still sounds hesitant. “I’ll talk to him about it soon.”

Cloud nods, satisfied. After a minute, he asks, “That what caused all the trouble?”

The other man shrugs. “It was a large part of it, I won’t deny. The only people I trust to take his place are Manda and Justine, and they both have limitations on their schedules that made it… difficult to rework. But most of it was just planning. The performance and costumes, seating adjustments that wouldn’t make anyone too angry—I hope Aerith knows how grateful I am for her flexibility there—, the menu for the night, research and strategic placement of a few bees that he may be interested in to… talk him up for a while, if not spend the night with him.” He frowns. “I can’t say I’m fond of the pretenses and manipulation, but it’s necessary every once in a while, if I want to keep the inn and my bees alive and thriving without stooping to the Don’s level.”

Cloud hums thoughtfully. “…I don’t think I’d count catering to an important guest’s tastes as ‘manipulation,’” he says eventually, shrugging. Andrea gives him a half-smile but doesn’t respond. Cloud glances around suddenly and admits, “I have no idea where we are.”

“Sector 4, I’d wager, since we passed 5 a bit ago.”

“Hmm.” The blond examines their surroundings more closely—shops behind them, houses ahead, and an open square down a narrow road to the right—and pulls Andrea to the square with a grin. In the center, there’s a tree and a large, circular patch of grass with a picnic table. Not as rare of a sight in Midgar as flowers, but certainly not common; someone must care about the tiny haven enough to put in the effort to keep it alive. Cloud takes a seat at the table, huffing out a laugh when Andrea drops straight onto the ground, lying spread-eagle just outside of the tree’s shade with his eyes closed.

“…Enjoying your sun?” Cloud asks after a while, amused, mostly to determine whether his boyfriend’s even still awake.

“Mmhmm.” Andrea opens one eye to peek at him, eyebrow raised, and lifts a hand. “I’d enjoy it more if you joined me, though.”

Cloud rolls his eyes but takes the offered hand and drops onto his knees in the grass beside Andrea. “Happy now?”

“Very,” Andrea answers, closing his eye again, but it doesn’t take long for the smile to fall from his face.

“…What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, sweetheart.”

“…Andrea,” he says seriously. “I’ve been trying hard with the whole ‘honesty’ thing, and it sucks sometimes. I'd appreciate it if you'd do the same.”

Andrea looks up at him and frowns. “…You’re right, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to lie, I just… don’t know how to say this. I don’t want to upset you.”

“Why? What is it?” Cloud asks, trying to bring his walls back up. He knows that he should trust Andrea more, that his first stupid thought that he’s about to leave him is ridiculous, especially after they've practically lived together for the past week, but those words spark a fear in him that he hates.

He takes a deep breath and starts reluctantly, “…You don’t need to join us onstage, the night that Sorata comes.”

“Huh? Is there…?”

“You’re perfect, darling,” Andrea assures, kissing the back of his hand, and Cloud breathes again. “It’s nothing to do with you. Not exactly. I just… don’t think that you’d be comfortable.”

“Why not?” he asks, brows furrowed in confusion.

“He has… very specific tastes.”

Cloud shudders, the phrasing reminding him of Corneo and what Aerith had said about him having ‘certain tastes.’ “What do you mean?”

“I really don’t think this is a conversation you want to have in public,” Andrea insists.

“…Fine. But as soon as we get home, I wanna know what the hell you’re talking about.” _Home._ A slip-up. A bad one. But Andrea doesn’t mention it.

“If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

They stay there for a while, long enough for Cloud to relax slightly, but there are questions running through the back of his mind even as he interlaces their fingers, staring down at their hands as if they’ll somehow have the answers. He doesn’t push it, though. Doesn’t doubt that Andrea’s telling the truth that he won’t be comfortable talking about it here. Doesn’t want to ruin this time for him when he’s been cooped up so much lately. So he waits. And waits. Until finally, Andrea sits up with a small smile. “Shall we, then?”

Cloud nods, and they slowly make their way back to the inn, back to Andrea’s apartment. By the time that they finally get there, he’s just about driven himself insane. “So?” he asks, falling onto the couch, arms crossed over his chest. It feels strange to have his guard up against Andrea now. He hates it.

Andrea sighs and takes a seat on the other end. “…To be completely blunt,” he says, pausing to give Cloud time to brace himself. “Mr. Sorata has a taste for fucking men in women’s clothing.” He wrinkles his nose in distaste for the phrase but continues more meaningfully, “And for acting as if they _are_ women.”

“…Oh.”

“I would never let him touch you, of course, or expect you to interact with him directly _at all_ , for that matter. But that is how the bees around him will be dressed and treated, and I’m certain that his eyes will be glued to you if you’re onstage in a skirt.” He smirks and nudges Cloud’s chin up with a knuckle, trying to fake a bit of his usual attitude. “Although, to be fair to him, _anyone with eyes_ will have them glued to you, regardless of how you’re dressed.”

Cloud considers this for a long moment. He could sit it out that night, like Andrea suggested. He could just wear a fucking pair of pants. Or he could suck it up and not let someone he’s never even met scare him out of doing whatever the hell he wants. “…It wouldn’t be the first time that someone’s looked at—or talked to—me like that,” he admits. He returns the smirk and leans forward to kiss Andrea. “But I honestly couldn’t care less anymore.” A bit of a lie, but becoming less and less of one with each passing day. “The only person that I care about watching me… is _you_.”

Andrea expression fades into a soft smile. “And I always am, sweetheart.”

Cloud flushes and curls into him, face pressed against his shoulder. “Sap.”

“Always,” he agrees, grinning and pressing his lips to Cloud’s hair. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get back to the _fun_ part of work and start rehearsing for this performance.”

Cloud snorts. “Give yourself a day off first.”

“Oh? But you’re on the schedule today. Are you going to start without me?”

“Yep,” the blond answers, hiding a grin. “I’m sure if I asked Sophia for help, she could interpret all your crazy notes.” He pauses. “But… you didn’t want me in this one, right? Did you even write me into it?”

“Of course I did,” Andrea replies. He sighs quietly. “I had a feeling that you wouldn’t accept my suggestion, and I would’ve just had one of my bees fill in if you did.”

“You could’ve just asked me about it in the first place and saved yourself some trouble, y’know.”

“…I know.”

“So why didn’t you?”

Andrea tips Cloud’s head up for a kiss and squeezes his shoulder. “You were already so worried about me… I didn’t want to give you anything else to stress over.”

“I’m allowed to worry about you,” Cloud argues, brows furrowed. “I… I care about you.”

“I know you do, darling.” He rests his forehead against Cloud’s and caresses his cheek. “And I hope you know that _I_ … care about _you_ a great deal as well.”

Cloud nods, eyes drifting closed. He takes a deep breath in, then turns to kiss Andrea’s palm before standing. “You should catch up on some sleep. I’m gonna take that file down for Sophia to take a look at.”

Andrea barks out a laugh. “I thought you were kidding about that.”

“Nope.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll get some rest. But I’m starting on it tomorrow.”

“Deal.”

* * *

Andrea’s notes were only meant for himself, so even _with_ Sophia’s help, there’s only so much Cloud can interpret and start on his own. It’s a difficult day.

The two weeks following are even more difficult, but in a more familiar way. For Andrea, Sophia, and Manda, it’s a whole lot of running around and making calls. For Cassius, it’s a whole lot of quiet fretting and making notes to leave with Manda and Justine for week one, and then he’s gone. For Harvey and Luke, it’s a whole lot of dress fittings that leave them looking more bored than anything—probably not the first time, then, Cloud realizes with some surprise. And for Cloud and the rest of the bees, it’s a whole lot of rehearsal time.

Time passes all too quickly, and on the day that Sorata is set to arrive, Cloud can feel the tension in the air. He knows from the conversations that he’s had and overheard recently that most of the bees know nothing about the man and wouldn’t care one bit about what he thinks… except that _Andrea_ cares. And they’re all fiercely loyal to him and determined to see the Honeybee Inn grow and become more successful than ever, so they _have_ to care. The nervous energy just before the show starts is contagious, and Cloud finds himself fidgeting until Andrea catches one of his hands and leads him out onto the stage. He tugs at his knee-length skirt and the hem of his off-the-shoulder top, hoping that they aren't revealing enough to catch Sorata's attention—at least not with the bees around who will be trying to catch it instead.

As the lights go on above them, Cloud’s eyes flick to the booth by the corner of the stage automatically, expecting to find Aerith there. Instead he catches sight of their VIP, dressed in a suit with Honeyboys flanking him. Luke is sitting on the table, his lilac hair straightened to appear a bit longer and sequined black dress flowing around his legs. He’s smiling politely at Sorata, but there’s a coldness in his eyes that makes him seem untouchable. Cloud’s seen him pull that act dozens of times before, and it works nearly every time on both men and women—people always want what they can’t have, after all. Harvey, on the other hand, is slightly more bubbly and touchy than usual, directing their guest’s attention to the stage and clinging to him in a way that reminds Cloud of Manda the very first night he’d come to the Honeybee Inn. He’s also completely unselfconscious about his outfit, leaning and crossing his legs to draw attention to the short pink skirt, and Cloud finds himself a little envious. Wishes that it had been that quick and easy for himself to feel comfortable with the way he dressed.

The last thing he sees before Andrea’s hand rises to his jaw and turns Cloud’s head to face him is Sorata wrapping an arm around Harvey’s waist and pulling him closer as the Honeyboy grins victoriously. Then the music comes on and Cloud’s attention is forced back to what he’s supposed to be doing, to the spins and lifts and what angle he’s holding his arms at and whether he’s keeping his hips loose enough. To Andrea’s hand on the small of his back and the thrill of such a fast-paced dance for the first time in a while. To the practiced steps and kicks and the more instinctive way his body follows and hooks around Andrea’s.

Somehow, dancing never gets any less exciting, any less freeing. Being the center of the audience’s attention never gets any less satisfying, and being the center of Andrea’s never gets any less intense. It’s still kind of surprising, and Cloud hopes it never changes.

As Cloud hitches a knee up against Andrea’s hip and is pulled across the stage, he catches a glimpse over his shoulder. Luke’s flipped around to the other side of the table to watch the performance and give some semblance of privacy to Harvey, who’s letting things with Sorata go a lot farther than the bees usually do in the relatively public space. He’s seated completely on his lap, facing the stage, the older man whispering something into his ear as one hand creeps up under the front of his skirt. It isn’t hard to guess what’s happening when Harvey tosses his head back, resting it on Sorata’s shoulder as he gasps and pants. At least part of it is probably acting, but it’s a pretty damn _convincing_ act, and for a moment, Cloud imagines them going all the way—imagines Sorata standing, bending Harvey over the table, and fucking him right there in the middle of the crowd. And then the image shifts to himself and Andrea in their places—Andrea flipping an obscenely short skirt up over his hips and pulling aside lacy underwear, saying something demeaning and emasculating that he’s sure the real Andrea would _never_ say, and holding him down against the table as he pushes into him.

He fucking _whimpers,_ and is desperately relieved when the music drowns it out. But when he drags his eyes back to Andrea’s, Cloud realizes that he’s searching his face for something. Realizes that even if Andrea didn’t hear him, he surely noticed his distraction, the way his movements faltered, the slight swell of his cock against him. He silently prays to whatever being might be listening that Andrea can’t read what he’s thinking, that he writes it off as Cloud just getting a little too into their dance. It wouldn’t be the first time, after all.

Andrea smirks and catches his leg, pulling him even closer and grinding against him as subtly as possible.

 _Fuck_.

He teases through the rest of the song, pushing a leg between Cloud’s or running his hands up his thighs or down over his ass at every chance he gets, every moment where the audience ( _hopefully_ ) won’t be able to see. It’s helpful in keeping his attention away from the show going on at the corner table. Not so helpful in bringing it back to the performance, or in willing away his erection.

Really, _really_ not helpful in that regard.

When the song finally ends, Cloud has to do something he’s never done before—run away before the final bow. Without Andrea’s body pressed against his to block the crowd’s view, his… _issue_ would be _painfully_ obvious. So he weaves between the other dancers, angling himself carefully and ignoring their raised eyebrows and smirks as much as possible until he can duck through the doorway. He pauses for a moment to catch his breath, then quickly continues on; it’s only a matter of minutes before people start flooding backstage and into the lobby. So he rushes upstairs, and then… stops.

Andrea’s door is locked. Cloud bangs his head against the wall and stands there, waiting, hoping that Andrea will hurry up before the other bees finish changing or dealing with clients.

He does.

Andrea looks nearly as affected by their dance as Cloud, and he keeps one hand wrapped tight around his waist as he unlocks and opens the front door. They barely make it inside before Cloud’s pushing him back against the door, kissing him hard while he unbuttons Andrea's pants and works them down far enough to get his cock out. Then he drops to his knees, savoring the look of shock and desire on his boyfriend's face as he grasps onto his thighs for balance. He drags his lips down Andrea’s length to his balls, humming low and pleased when Andrea’s hand settles in his hair, then licks back up the underside.

“Cloud…” Andrea murmurs, watching him with lidded eyes.

Cloud pulls away slightly to flash him a dazed smile. He pushes Andrea’s shirt up with one hand, pressing kisses to his hips and stomach, while the other curls around his cock, stroking slow and tight until he’s fully hard. Then he settles back on his haunches and freezes. Takes a deep breath.

He knows it’s an absurd thought, but somehow, Andrea’s cock seems impossibly larger now that he’s faced with the prospect of actually getting his mouth around it. Cloud licks his lips and curls them over his teeth, careful and anxious. His eyes dart up to Andrea’s face, and when he finds him staring down at him intently, like he’s trying to memorize every detail, he can’t tear his gaze away again. Cloud licks at the head, swallows nervously, knows that he’s stalling for time and that it’s absolutely ridiculous when _he_ _’s_ the one who wanted this. One more deep breath and then, eyes still locked with Andrea’s, he flattens his tongue and leans in, lips wrapping around his cock. He gets the head into his mouth and settles for a few moments, getting used to the feeling, then pushes a little farther.

Cloud wishes he could pretend to be surprised by how much he enjoys the weight and taste of Andrea on his tongue, but the truth is that he’s been literally _dreaming_ of getting his mouth on his cock for a while now. He moans around him, eyes fluttering, and Andrea echoes the sound, leaking against his tongue. Even the brief moment of panic when he forgets to breathe through his nose just pushes Cloud higher. It makes no sense at all and he couldn’t care less. Something tells him that with Andrea’s help, he’ll probably find a hell of a lot more things that he’s into that shouldn’t make sense (and he can’t fucking _wait_ ).

Cloud bobs his head, cheeks hollowing as he sucks. He takes what he can’t fit in his mouth in his hand and watches Andrea watching _him_ , listens to the noises that trip out over his tongue, the loud smack as he slaps one hand back against the door. Cloud presses a little further again and gags, sudden and unexpected. Pulls away quickly until it stops, more because he’s worried that the convulsions will make him bite than because the feeling is unpleasant. (It _should_ be, _would_ be in any other situation, but _god_ , it’s not. Not here. Not now.)

“Careful, sweetheart,” Andrea says, eyes soft despite the fire burning in them. He caresses Cloud’s face until his breathing settles, then asks as the blond moves closer again, “Are you sure? You don’t _have_ to keep going, baby. There are plenty of other things we can do.”

“’M sure,” Cloud answers, the rasp in his own voice surprising him. “I want to.” Andrea’s eyes widen, but after a long moment he nods. He gathers Cloud’s hair in one hand, extensions and all, holding it loosely and keeping it out of his face, and Cloud huffs out a quiet, fond laugh. He’s not sure whether it’ll actually make any difference, but he whispers, “Thanks,” anyways before leaning back in.

He takes Andrea’s cock back into his mouth, more careful this time not to push too far. He alternates between sucking and licking, watching Andrea closely to figure out what makes his eyes flutter shut, what makes his fingers scrabble uselessly at the door. Cloud drags his tongue over the vein on the underside and is rewarded with Andrea’s hand clenching in his hair and a quiet sigh. He presses forward again, slowly, until the exact moment his gag reflex tries to go off again, and waits, fighting it down.

“God, you feel amazing, Cloud,” Andrea says breathlessly. Cloud shudders. It feels like he’s on fire, slowly burning up from the inside out. “You’re doing so well, sweetheart… I wish you could see yourself right now. You look so good on your knees for me… Like you were made for it,” Andrea continues unexpectedly, and Cloud has to pull back just to gasp, the air stolen from his lungs. He’s trembling as he sinks back down on Andrea’s cock, pushing as far as he can again. Andrea’s still talking, but he can’t even register the words, his own pulse rushing loud in his ears. It’s enough to hear his low tone, to see the dark look in his eyes.

Andrea’s eyes widen after a few more minutes and he pushes insistently at Cloud’s head. He’s saying something, and Cloud still can’t quite hear the words, but he understands anyways. He ignores it and takes a little more of Andrea’s cock into his mouth, sucking hard and looking up to meet his eyes. Andrea swears loudly, head falling back against the door as he cums in Cloud’s mouth.

Cloud swallows what he can, but he can feel a bit of cum and saliva mixing and dripping down his chin, sticky and strange—and so very, _very_ worth it for the look on Andrea’s face. For the way he wipes it away with his thumb and brings it up to Cloud’s lips. For the way his eyes zero in on it as Cloud stares up at him through his lashes and sucks his thumb into his mouth, licking it clean. Then he leans back in to give Andrea’s cock the same treatment, licking it clean until he twitches and gently pushes Cloud’s head away.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Cloud pants, so turned on he’s dizzy with it, and almost surprised he hasn’t come already. He rests his head against Andrea’s thigh and palms himself through his clothes, unable to hold back a loud moan. He forces his hand away after a minute and looks back up to Andrea, who’s still watching him closely, eyes hooded.

“Come here, baby,” Andrea says, so quiet Cloud barely even hears it. He holds out a hand, helping Cloud to stand on slightly shaky legs, and pulls him into a deep kiss. Then he does his pants back up before leading the blond to the couch and pulling him down onto his lap, facing away from him.

“Fuck,” Cloud mutters again, for entirely different reasons (or maybe not). So much for hoping Andrea hadn’t noticed what had his attention earlier. Andrea spreads his knees, forcing Cloud’s legs open around them, and he bites down on the quiet noise that tries to escape. He feels too exposed for actually still being fully dressed, and it only gets worse ( _better_ ) as Andrea’s hand drags up his thigh, slow and sensual, pulling his skirt up along with it.

When it’s pooled around his waist, Andrea pauses, looking down over Cloud’s shoulder in surprise. “I didn’t buy these for you,” he observes, one finger trailing over the edge of the light blue panties. Cloud shakes his head quickly and makes a grab to pull the skirt back down, but Andrea catches his wrists before he can. “Ah-ah, darling,” he scolds lightly, grinning into his neck. “Don’t hide from me.”

Cloud makes a quiet sound, embarrassed and distressed. “I-I—” he starts, but not even the tiniest defense comes to mind.

“Shh, sweetheart,” Andrea whispers, kissing over his bare shoulder in apology. He lets go of one of Cloud’s hands to rub up his inner thigh, _so fucking close_ to where he needs him. “No need to be embarrassed. I know how hard it must’ve been to go out and get those yourself. I’m so proud of you.” He pauses to nip at Cloud’s skin and adds with a grin, “And they look absolutely _ravishing_ on you.”

Cloud huffs, head dropping back to Andrea’s shoulder and rolling to give him room as he licks a long stripe up his neck. “Sh-shit. Andrea—” His hips buck, desperate for friction, but Andrea pulls his hand away with a dark chuckle.

“Tell me what you want, Cloud.”

Cloud groans, already knowing that Andrea won’t let him get away without an answer this time. “J-just fucking… touch me!” he hisses, frustrated. It isn’t going to take much at this point.

Andrea grins and obliges, toying with the waistband of the underwear for a few moments. Cloud does his best not to react, but Andrea apparently decides against removing them anyways, instead tracing over the outline of his cock through the barrier. The light tease only lasts for a second, and then Andrea’s wrapping a hand around him, tight and perfect. He rubs his thumb over the head, spreading precum over Cloud’s cock and panties to make the glide smoother. Cloud’s hips jerk again, trying to fuck into his grip, but he’s got almost no leverage like this, legs spread open and one hand still held captive near his shoulder. It clenches and unclenches as he drags in harsh breaths, other hand grasping at Andrea’s thigh beneath him.

Andrea opens his mouth to say something, pauses for a moment, then resumes stroking and nips at Cloud’s ear instead. When he eventually speaks, murmuring low into Cloud’s ear, it’s obviously not what he was originally planning to say. “Cloud?” He waits for Cloud’s questioning hum, which tips up into a whine when he twists his hand. “Can you be a good boy for me?”

“ _H-huh?_ ” Cloud gasps, completely unprepared for the words or how hard they hit him. His cock twitches in Andrea’s grasp, and the other man smiles like it’s exactly the reaction he was looking for.

“If I let go,” he says, shaking Cloud’s hand slightly in example, “Will you promise not to touch yourself or try to hide from me again?”

Cloud gives a weak nod. “Mm-mmhmm,” he agrees, the noise broken in the middle by a shaky exhale, playing along because although his brain might have _no fucking clue_ what’s going on anymore, his body is obviously _very_ into _all_ of it.

As soon as the agreement’s out of his mouth, Andrea releases his hold on his wrist, but his other hand moves away too, and the blond whines in frustration. His head jerks back, knocking against Andrea’s shoulder and the back of the couch. His boyfriend’s hands drift up under his shirt, tweaking his nipples, and he bites his lip hard. Cloud’s hand twitches towards his own cock, desperation born from being pulled back when he was so close to the edge, but he refrains, clenching both hands into tight fists on his thighs and digging his nails into his palms. Andrea gives a pleased rumble when he notices, making him shiver.

Andrea keeps teasing, rubbing over his chest and licking and kissing whatever bare skin he can reach. Cloud groans in annoyance, but at the same time, the wait somehow makes it even better, makes him even more hyper aware of every touch, of Andrea’s quiet pride each time his muscles twitch but his hands stay in place. He’s been achingly hard for what feels like _forever_ —before he sucked Andrea off, before they even left the stage—so _surely_ he can handle a few more minutes.

He does, and Andrea makes the payoff more than worth it. When he finally moves back down to Cloud’s cock, he rubs him through the panties again for a minute. Then he slips his hand under the waistband and jerks him off, fast and hard and unexpected. Cloud gasps, hands fluttering, but doesn’t know what to reach for. He isn’t even aware of Andrea’s other hand drifting up his body until it lands in his hair. Andrea tugs, jerking his head back at the same moment that he bites down on his neck, hard enough to sting but not to break the skin, and then Cloud’s cumming, sudden and hard. “A-ahh-And—!” His shout is lost to a long, wordless moan as his body jerks, curling in on itself slightly. Andrea’s hand drops from his hair so he won’t hurt himself, and Cloud grabs for it, instinctively looking for _anything_ to hold onto as he shakes through his orgasm. The aftershocks run through him in waves that leave his breath stuttering and back arching for several minutes.

When he finally starts coming down, Cloud rolls his head against Andrea’s shoulder with an exhausted, half-hearted attempt at a smirk. “Shouldn’t have let go,” he confesses, dragging Andrea’s hand back to his hair in explanation.

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time, then,” Andrea says, matching his smirk as he pulls lightly and wrings another weak shudder and groan out of the blond.

Cloud hums meaninglessly and shifts in Andrea’s lap so he can kiss him properly. They make out for a few minutes, tired and lazy, until Andrea drags his hand up his chest and pulls back suddenly with a grimace. “Wha—oh,” Cloud cuts himself off as he glances down. He cringes, and Andrea presses a kiss to his temple.

“I’ll clean your clothes up for you,” he promises. “Mostly my fault anyways.”

“Thanks,” Cloud says with a huff of laughter, burying his blushing face in Andrea’s shirt. “Can we get _ourselves_ cleaned up first, though?”

“Mm good idea,” Andrea agrees, though he pulls Cloud back in for another long, slow kiss before letting him go.

Cloud stands and leads the way to the bathroom before carefully stripping down as Andrea starts the shower. When Andrea pulls his own shirt off, Cloud steps forward, wrapping his arms around him from behind. He kisses his shoulder blade and then rests his head there for a minute, and Andrea catches his hand. Cloud squeezes it, takes a deep breath, and pulls away again to help Andrea get his pants off. When they finally make it into the shower, Cloud sighs. The water is the perfect temperature. And when they start helping each other wash off, Andrea’s hands feel perfect against his skin. And the way Cloud sees it, if they get a little… _distracted_ again along the way, they really can’t be blamed.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I said I was back, and then I disappeared for a month. Sorry, guys. To be completely honest, I spent most of that time desperately trying to catch up on almost the whole year's worth of Unus Annus videos before the channel was deleted. (I succeeded, just barely.) I'll still be busy for a while because I have to train our new team member starting next week (and I'm not qualified as a trainer. Like, at all. But work is a mess, so it's the best option currently), but I'll try my best to stay on top of updates anyways.

They’ve barely had time to change into more comfortable clothes after the show when there’s a knock on Andrea’s door. Cloud shoots him a questioning look, but Andrea just shrugs and goes to answer it. After a moment’s hesitation, the blond follows curiously.

It’s a little surprising to see Sophia standing in the doorway. More surprising when she gives Andrea a tiny wave and slides past him into the apartment without a word. She pauses when she spots Cloud, but eventually just flashes a smile at him, kicks her heels off, and heads for the couch. She pauses before sitting down, eying it with a strangely suspicious expression, and abruptly turns to drop into the armchair instead. She raises an eyebrow at Andrea, and he shrugs unapologetically and leads Cloud over. The blond glances at the cushions in an embarrassed panic, wondering if they didn’t clean well enough the night before, but they’re spotless. Maybe it’s just some kind of mystical best friend sense. Either way, it’s kind of horrific.

“It’s been a while since you’ve come by, Soph,” Andrea says as he sits and pulls Cloud tight against his side.

She rolls her eyes. “Only because I wanted to give you some time alone with your new boy toy,” she retorts. “And clearly, it was needed.”

Cloud raises an eyebrow, glancing between Sophia and Andrea and wondering whether he should be offended. Judging by the laughter in Andrea’s eyes, probably not. “Well then, thank you for your thoughtfulness,” Andrea says, wrapping his arms around Cloud’s waist possessively and dragging him into his lap. He hooks his chin over his shoulder and waggles his eyebrows suggestively at Sophia. “I’m sure you’ll appreciate that we’ve been putting the time to good use.”

Not offended, then. Just mortified.

Cloud smacks Andrea’s leg lightly, glaring out of the corner of his eye, but all he gets in response is a quick kiss on the cheek and a chuckle.

Sophia giggles into one hand, the other pulling her hair out of its usual bun. She grins at Cloud, and he suddenly realizes it’s the first time he’s seen her with her hair down, and one of very few times that he’s seen her give such a big, _real_ smile. “Don’t worry, I’m just giving your boyfriend shit,” she assures him. “Sorry you got caught in the crossfire, Cloud.”

He shrugs. “It’s… okay?” He really isn’t sure how to handle this new side of Sophia. Suddenly, all of Andrea’s stories about her make a lot more sense.

“So how have things been topside?” Andrea asks, settling back to get more comfortable.

She shrugs. “Same as ever. Family’s fine, since I know you’ll ask. But it’s been boring without you around to liven things up.”

“I keep saying you should move down here for good,” he says, tone suddenly serious. Just as quickly, it’s gone, and he’s teasing, “Then I’d always be nearby and there’d never be a dull moment.”

Sophia snorts. “That’s for sure. But…” Her eyes dart to Cloud for a moment and she says vaguely, “You know I can’t.”

Andrea hums skeptically but doesn’t voice his disagreement. “If you say so.”

Cloud glances back and forth between them, confused by the sudden heavy atmosphere. It doesn’t feel like he should be here for this conversation. “I’m gonna head out for a few minutes,” he whispers, not wanting to interrupt them. Andrea gives him a worried, questioning look, but he just shakes his head with a small smile. “’S fine. Just wanna get a little fresh air.”

Andrea watches him for a few more moments before nodding. “Alright,” he says quietly. He catches Cloud’s hand as he stands, pressing a kiss to the back of it, and Cloud huffs out a laugh and leans down to kiss the top of his head.

“Be back in a bit.” He waves to Sophia, who returns it and watches as he ducks out of the room before continuing what she was saying. Cloud makes his way through the halls, voices and laughter spilling from behind closed doors, and out through the bustling lobby. There’s a strange sense of déjà vu as he heads up to the nearest balcony, nearly empty despite the lively restaurant just behind it. There’s only one other person around, so he leans up against the railing next to her, eyes on the busy, neon-lit streets that have become so familiar.

Manda glances at him out of the corner of her eye, her death grip on the banister relaxing after a moment. “Hey,” she says, absentmindedly scuffing the toe of her gold heel against the ground. She’s still mostly in costume, though the goofy stinger has been replaced with a gold and black striped skirt; just a break before a client, then, not actually off for the night.

“Hey,” Cloud echoes, turning to catch a glimpse of her profile. Manda’s nearly always smiling, at least where anyone other than her chosen family can see, but the grin on her face now is something entirely new. Dopey and uninhibited, her eyes distant but bright, meant only for herself rather than cameras or customers. “…Should I be scared?”

Manda twirls to face him, blinking in confusion but still wearing that unsettling grin. “Huh? About what?”

“You seem… awfully happy about something. That usually means you’re plotting,” he teases, mostly to keep her attention, but he already knows it’s not true this time. Whatever has her smiling like that, it obviously has nothing to do with him.

She laughs, gaze turning to the street below as she twirls a lock of hair around her finger. “Nope, nothing for you to worry about! Not this time.”

“ _Okay_ …” Cloud drawls slowly. “Then what’s going on?”

“Three guesses,” she says, holding up three fingers.

He thinks for a moment, but he’s pretty sure he can get it in one. Shifting his weight to one foot and crossing his arms, Cloud guesses, “You finally confessed to Pyra.”

“Mmhmm!”

“And obviously it went well?” he says with a chuckle, barely a question.

“Mmhmm!”

“…Good. ‘M happy for you,” Cloud admits after a long moment. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and pulls her against his side, and Manda stiffens in surprise but relaxes into it after a moment.

“Thanks,” she says, turning her face to mumble it into his shoulder. He can still hear the smile in her voice, but there’s a sheepish edge to it as she confesses, “I’m happy too. _Really_ happy. Feels like I’ve been walking on air all day, and I don’t even know what to do with myself now until I can get back to her. Don’t wanna leave her side for a second if I don’t have to. But that’s _weird_ , right? I mean, it’s all brand new…”

Cloud shrugs. “’M probably not the best person to ask,” he replies with a huff of laughter.

Manda giggles as she slides out of his grasp again. “Good point. You and Andi definitely aren’t a good example of ‘normal.’” She grins up at him, the usual teasing quirk reappearing. “But we love you anyways.” Cloud stares down at her in surprise for a few moments before his lungs remember how to work again. He nods, unsure of what to say, and turns his attention back to the crowds. Eventually, the woman at his side speaks up again. “So I know _I_ _’m_ out here to try and clear my head so I can focus on anything other than all the silly, sappy thoughts running around up there…but what about you?”

“Mm… Just giving Andrea and Sophia some time alone. Seemed like they needed it.”

“Ah.” Cloud glances down at Manda, a bit surprised by her complete _lack_ of surprise, but she just shrugs. “I think you’re right. Sophia’s definitely missed Andi lately, and he hasn’t said anything, but I’m sure he’s missed her too. Not that he hasn’t seemed happy to spend every moment possible with _you_ ,” she adds, eyes darting up to him as she laughs.

Cloud frowns. “Starting to get the idea that I’ve been keeping him from his friends.”

“Nah,” Manda denies, waving her hand dismissively. “Andi does _what_ he wants, _when_ he wants. Nobody’s gonna change that, not even you. So if he didn’t go to her earlier, then there was a reason. He was probably just waiting for Sophia to get over it and come to him.”

“Get over… _what_?” he asks reluctantly.

Manda shoots him a look like it should be obvious and shrugs. “Her jealousy.” She catches the furrow of Cloud’s brow and shakes her head. “Not that she’s interested in Andi. She’s not. She’s just… not used to having to share his attention so much. It’s been a long time since she’s had to… Years, I’d guess, since I haven’t seen him in a serious relationship in all the time I’ve known him.”

Cloud pauses for a minute, taking it all in, before asking, “So… What should I do?”

“Nothing you aren’t already doing,” Manda answers with a chuckle. “I think she sees now that you aren’t going away any time soon, so… Just let her reach out to you if she tries. And give them some space occasionally, like you are right now.” She makes a face suddenly and shrugs. “But this is all just guesses from me, so take it with a grain of salt.” Cloud nods, and they fall silent for a few minutes until Manda sighs loudly. Her annoyance isn’t very convincing with the grin that’s slid back into place, though. “It’s probably about time for me to head back in. Try not to worry too much, and have a good night, ‘kay?”

“…Yeah, you too.” Cloud watches as Manda all but skips down the stairs and back to the inn, then turns and makes his way towards the center of Wall Market. He wanders aimlessly, letting himself get lost in the crowds until he winds up near an empty path. He follows it to a dead end, disappointed when he’s rewarded with nothing but an enormous wall. The quiet is a welcome change, though, so he finds some scrap to sit on and basks in it for a while. Eventually his phone buzzes in his pocket, and Cloud checks it hesitantly, relieved when it’s just Andrea.

_You've been gone for a while. Everything alright?_

He can feel his lips quirk up in a smile the way they always seem to when Andrea’s involved, and he can’t help but wonder if it looks as completely smitten as Manda’s. God, he hopes not.

_Yeah, I'm_ _fine. Just enjoying the night air. I’ll head back soon._

_Miss you already ❤️_

Stupid. Stupid how every tiny bit of affection feels like a vice around his heart, squeezing until he can barely breathe past the beautiful pain. Cloud stares at his phone a minute longer before sliding it back into his pocket without replying. Maybe it’s for the best that he loses the damn thing so often. Who knows what thoughts might make it through the filters between his brain and his fingers if he could talk to Andrea at all times without having to look him in the eyes.

He waits ten more minutes before making his way back to the Honeybee Inn. He knocks lightly on Andrea’s apartment door when he arrives before slipping inside. The air is lighter than when he left, and Sophia’s apparently gotten over her distrust of the couch, because she’s lying on it with her legs dangling over the arm and her head in Andrea’s lap. They both glance to Cloud when they hear the door, pausing to smile at him before Sophia continues reading something off of her phone.

Cloud silently sits down in the chair, watching as Andrea’s fingers comb through his friend’s hair. The scene is so familiar, yet so strange to watch from the outside. He expects that unwelcome jealousy to crawl up and drag him into its hold, but there’s nothing. Nothing but contentment in seeing the way they smile at each other, in hearing their hushed voices and the laughter they share. They coax him into the conversation after a bit, though it’s difficult to focus once he starts drifting off an hour or so later. After a while, he can’t seem to drag his eyes open anymore, and when Sophia giggles at something he said, he’s not sure whether it’s because he actually said something funny, or if it’s because he said something to embarrass himself.

* * *

“Sweetheart…” A quiet voice invades his mind, followed by fingers drifting from his hip up his side. Familiar, pulling him from sleep slowly and gently in a way that nothing else really can. “Wake up, Cloud. You’ll be stiff and sore in the morning if you sleep like that.”

“Hmm?”

“C’mon, love, up you go.”

Cloud’s eyes fly open as his world shifts, realizing after a few moments of disorientation that Andrea’s pulled him upright from where he’d been curled up uncomfortably in the chair. His boyfriend waits for him to get his bearings before helping him to his feet and starting down the hall, and Cloud glances around in confusion. “Where’s Sophia?”

“She went home; it’s pretty late.”

“Mm.”

“Let’s get you into bed, hmm?”

“…You too?”

Andrea chuckles. “Of course, darling. Couldn’t very well leave you all alone, now could I?”

Cloud doesn’t bother with an answer, too tired to call him out on the fact that he’s obviously just humoring him. They reach the bedroom after a few more seconds, and Andrea helps him strip down before tucking him into the bed and following soon after. He loops an arm over his waist, but Cloud twists toward him, eyes already closed.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Huh?”

“You’re frowning.”

“Was just thinking that…” It takes Cloud a bit to remember. “That Manda said Soph might be jealous… but she doesn’ have any reason t’be.” This really isn’t the time to be having this conversation, when he can’t even seem to hold onto his thoughts and can’t verbalize them properly, but Andrea deserves to know if he wants to. “Obviously has a special place ‘n your heart.”

Andrea gives a tiny laugh and presses a kiss to Cloud’s cheek, smiling into his skin. “Well, nor do you, my dear,” he replies, hold tightening around the blond. Cloud’s just about to deny it, to clarify that for some reason he _isn_ _’t_ jealous of Sophia even though he’s sometimes even jealous of faceless strangers, when Andrea continues. “You hold a very special place in my heart too, after all.”

_Oh._ There’s that vice squeezing at him again.

Cloud wriggles closer, curling into Andrea’s warmth and placing a blind kiss that lands somewhere along his collarbone. “You too.”

Another quiet huff of laughter rustles his hair, and Cloud falls asleep again to words that lose their meaning somewhere between his ear and his mind, though he’s sure they’re important. “You have no idea how precious you are to me, do you, Cloud?”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for those who care: This chapter is 100% smut.

There’s something comforting about having Andrea’s weight settled over him, bodies pressed close and lips sealed together as a forgotten movie drones on in the background. That familiar fire is stoked as Andrea worms a leg in between his and rocks into him, slow and steady, but still it’s mostly just… nice. Grounding.

Cloud only has room to maneuver one leg in the limited space of the couch, so he hitches it up around Andrea’s back, pulling him even closer as their mouths part momentarily, as he tilts his head to find that perfect angle, as Andrea interlocks their fingers near his head and slips his other hand into his hair. “Gorgeous…” Andrea murmurs, lips drifting down over Cloud’s jaw and neck.

His breath catches, but when he gets it back, Cloud hides his blushing, smirking face in Andrea’s neck and says with a quiet hum, “Yeah, you are.” Andrea’s movements pause for a few seconds, and then he slowly pulls back to look at him, eyes wide. The red in his cheeks is rare, prized, and all Cloud can do is drag him back down for another kiss. His free hand slowly drifts down over Andrea’s side to settle at the strip of bare skin between his shirt and pants. He strokes lightly over the skin there and revels in his boyfriend’s shiver for a moment before dragging his hand back up over his chest, pulling the shirt along with it. He tugs until Andrea sits up enough to remove it and toss it to the ground, then lays over him again.

“Shit,” Cloud gasps when Andrea settles in closer than before, leg pressing more firmly against his growing erection. He arches into it, eyes flickering shut as his head falls back against the throw pillow beneath him. Andrea pulls Cloud back to his mouth and he goes happily, pulling away only the tiniest bit to drag in heaving breaths occasionally. His fingers clench automatically around Andrea’s hand, and his boyfriend squeezes back just as tightly.

He should get their clothes off, if he doesn’t want a repeat of last time. The thought is there, somewhere, in the back of his mind, but Cloud can hardly be bothered to pay attention to it when he feels so damn _good_ and separating for even a moment sounds unbearable.

The fire builds slowly, warmth starting in his core and spreading out through his limbs as their hips roll together. Cloud gradually loses the rhythm, lost to sensation, and Andrea watches him with hooded eyes. Dips back in for another kiss, tongues sliding together, and rocks against Cloud more intently with a sharp tug to his hair, and Cloud’s gone. His orgasm runs through him in slow waves, rippling throughout his body as he pants against Andrea’s mouth. Less intense than usual but just as pleasurable, or maybe even moreso for their closeness. Andrea’s grip on his hair doesn’t ease until he’s finished shaking through the aftershocks, and some delirious part of Cloud wants to laugh. There’s something hilarious about the fact that Andrea not only _paid attention_ to what he said in his dopey post-sex haze, but remembered it and went along with it _without question_.

They share more soft, languid kisses, and it takes a few minutes before he realizes that Andrea’s still hard against him. Cloud pushes his leg up, silently urging him to keep moving, but stops as an idea comes to mind. He hesitates for a long moment before gently pushing Andrea off of him and sitting upright. “I—Can I—” He pauses and tries to swallow down his nerves. Doesn’t know why it’s harder to _ask_ than to just _do_. Why it’s so embarrassing to admit aloud that he wants this. His hands fidget in his lap, eyes glued to them until Andrea tilts his chin up.

“There is nothing _wrong_ about wanting anything, sweetheart,” he says seriously, holding Cloud’s gaze. It feels like he’s plucked the thoughts straight from his head. “And I want you to be as comfortable telling me what you want in bed as anywhere else, and to know that I will _never_ judge you for it. Okay?”

Cloud is silent for a few moments, swallowing down the unexpected rush of emotion that wells up. Then he nods. “Okay, but what if… it’s something that _you_ aren’t…”

“If it’s not something that I want, or that I am… at least willing to _try_ , then I will _tell_ you. But I think you’ll find it’s rather difficult to hit my limits,” Andrea replies with a laugh. “And even if you did manage to, me saying no to something would still _not_ mean that I’m _judging_ you for it.”

Cloud nods again, eyes darting away and then back. “Then… Can I suck you off again?”

Andrea’s eyes darken, focusing in on Cloud’s lips as he sweeps his thumb over them. “Is _that_ what you were so worried about asking, darling?” It isn’t, not really, but Cloud stays silent; he still needs time to work up to it. “Well, there’s no need to be… I’d be _very_ happy to have that lovely mouth of yours on me again.”

Cloud takes a shaky breath, stands up slowly, and takes Andrea’s hand. He leads him to the nearest wall and pushes him up against it, ignoring the look of slight confusion on his boyfriend’s face. Fingers hooked in Andrea’s belt loops, Cloud pulls him in for another long kiss as he gathers himself, then undoes Andrea’s pants and drops to his knees, pulling them along with him. He can feel Andrea’s eyes burning a hole into the top of his head as he obligingly steps out of the pants and lets Cloud shove them out of the way.

Cloud trails his hands up Andrea's legs as he rises up on his knees. Drags lips and tongue over Andrea’s cock and balls, stroking him, building back up to where they were before the move and their short talk. Then he eases the member between his lips, starting slow and letting his hand take whatever his mouth can’t reach. He peers up through his lashes, both to watch Andrea’s reactions and because it wasn’t hard to figure out how much Andrea enjoys _that_ particular view. The look he gets in response makes goosebumps break out over his skin.

After a few minutes, Cloud drops his hand in favor of clinging to Andrea’s legs and pushing forward farther. He shivers and pulls back slightly when he feels the head of Andrea’s cock bump the bag of his throat, struggling against his gag reflex for a few moments before he continues.

“God, baby, you’re getting so good at this,” Andrea says. The feeling that swells in the pit of Cloud’s stomach is something like pride, something like arousal—impossible to untangle, but it sends his heart rate soaring either way.

Cloud’s already hard again, Andrea’s sounds and the taste of him on his tongue getting to him embarrassingly easily. The fullness of his mouth, the stretch of his jaw, has him aching but utterly satisfied, and he has the sudden (but not entirely new) thought that he wants to feel that fullness in his ass, too. His mind throws up an impossible image of two Andreas fucking his ass and mouth simultaneously, hard and fast, and the loud moan that he lets out is echoed by the man above him.

“ _Fuck,_ ” he pulls off to mutter, his voice gravel, resting his head against Andrea’s thigh. The scene in his head is beautifully vivid, one that definitely won't be leaving him any time soon, and he can’t resist tugging at his own cock a few times before forcing his eyes open again and sinking back down on Andrea’s cock. He sucks harder, cheeks hollowing and head bobbing faster as he watches Andrea’s dazed stare desperately. He can feel the trembling starting in Andrea’s legs, the tiny, instinctual jerks of his hips, can hear his quiet gasps and pants, and knows that he’s getting close. It’s hard to decide which is better: the heaps of praise and dirty talk that Andrea gladly doles out, or the less intentional compliment of moments like this, when he can’t catch his breath enough to say anything at all.

Cloud suddenly remembers the way that Andrea’s eyes had lingered last time, remembers what he’d failed to ask earlier, and slowly pulls back, replacing his mouth with his hand. He’s fucking _shaking_ from the wrongness of this, from the vulnerability of _wanting_ it, and desperately hopes that Andrea can’t tell.

Of course he can. He _always_ can.

“Sweetheart?” he asks softly after taking a moment to get his breath back, caressing Cloud’s cheek and drawing him out of his thoughts. Cloud shakes his head and runs Andrea’s earlier words through his head over and over again, doing his best to believe them. Instead of answering, he holds Andrea’s gaze as he slowly settles back on his haunches and opens his mouth, still stroking Andrea’s cock. Andrea’s eyes widen when the realization hits, and he makes a strangled noise. He looks away for a long moment, fist pressed tight to his mouth as he gathers himself again. Then he meets Cloud’s eyes again with a wicked smirk that doesn’t fit his too-soft tone. “Want me to cum on your face, beautiful?”

Cloud flushes, a full-bodied shiver running through him even as he fights the instinctive denials that bubble up on his tongue. Fights through the embarrassment and slowly nods instead, grateful that Andrea isn’t making him say it himself. He isn’t sure he _could_.

“Fuck, Cloud,” Andrea groans, wrapping his hands around the blond’s arms and pulling.

Cloud resists for a few moments before letting himself be hauled up and dragged into a frantic kiss. Andrea’s hands settle on his hips and he pulls back slightly to rest their foreheads together. Cloud watches as he closes his eyes and focuses on steadying his breath. It’s not the first time he’s realized it, but the thought that _he_ can affect Andrea like this, can leave him panting and clutching at him so hard it’s sure to leave bruises, hits him like a goddamn train every time.

And then Andrea takes one more deep breath, opens his eyes to smirk at him, and says, “Back on your knees, now, sweetheart,” and every thought flies out of his head as his heart skips a beat or three. Cloud steals another kiss before obediently sinking to his knees, slowly, holding his boyfriend’s gaze and dragging his hands over every bit of skin along the way. Then he takes Andrea’s cock back in his mouth again, as deep as he can. The desire to completely _destroy_ whatever composure Andrea might have regained is overwhelming.

Never let it be said that he isn’t a fast learner. And Andrea’s an excellent teacher, enthusiastic and verbal anytime he does something he likes (though Cloud’s fairly certain by now that it’s mostly so Andrea can watch _his_ reactions to his words—impossible to hide no matter how hard he tries). So when he gets a sudden, “Fuck, baby, just like that,” he shudders and licks over the head of Andrea’s cock again. When he gags and Andrea’s head drops back and his breath hitches, he stays there as long as he can handle, throat fluttering, until he has to pull back with a loud gasp for air. So it doesn’t take long to drag Andrea back to the edge, even as he’s halfway there again himself and squirming in a futile attempt to relieve the tension.

It catches Cloud by surprise when Andrea brushes a finger under his chin to get his attention and murmurs, “I want to see you get yourself off, Cloud… Will you do that for me?”

Cloud exhales shakily through his nose, wants to nod but can’t, so he settles for releasing his tight grip on Andrea’s thighs to undo his own pants. He isn’t sure he could deny Andrea _anything_ right now—not that he even _wants_ to. He moans as he gets a hand around his cock, eyes fluttering shut. When he pries them open again, he catches Andrea watching him with lidded eyes and bottom lip caught between his teeth. Cloud pumps his hand slowly, breath catching. He’s still oversensitive, but the pain itself is almost pleasurable, and watching Andrea watching _him_ is a whole new kind of exciting. He forces his attention back to his boyfriend, to pushing him over the edge, his own pleasure secondary even as it spirals higher and higher.

He sinks back down on Andrea’s cock, the sloppy noises too loud in the quiet of the room. They’re both shaking now. Cloud pushes farther than ever before, until he’s choking on Andrea’s cock again, and then _keeps_ pushing until his nose brushes Andrea’s groin. The struggle for air makes him dizzy in more ways than one, but he ignores it for as long as possible, swallowing around the intrusion. He’s vaguely aware of the helpless gagging sounds leaving his own mouth, but it doesn’t matter at all when he can tell that they’re only pushing Andrea closer to orgasm.

He pulls off when the need for air becomes too strong to avoid any longer, gasping for a few moments before immediately leaning back in, but a hand catches in his hair and pulls him away again. Cloud can’t stifle the protesting noise that leaves his throat, but it morphs into a moan as he realizes what’s happening, as Andrea holds him in place and tugs at his own erection. “Fuck,” Cloud whines. His own hand speeds up on his cock, the other rising to bite his knuckle before he catches himself. He forces it back down and opens his mouth again, tongue sticking out and eyes closed as he waits breathlessly.

A loud groan signals Andrea’s release and the first hot streak of cum hits him, most of it landing on his tongue and chin but some hitting his cheek or even landing in his hair. “ _Gaia_ , sweetheart,” Andrea moans, “You look so fucking good with my cum all over your pretty face.”

Cloud’s second orgasm hits him sudden and unexpected, only a weak whine leaving his throat as he tries to focus on staying still and keeping his mouth open for Andrea, on the praise he babbles out as he rides out his orgasm. They both go quiet as they come down from the high, the silence only broken by their panting breaths. Eventually, Cloud feels Andrea’s thumb swipe under his eye, and then his boyfriend requests, “Open your eyes for me, baby?” He obeys, head tilted back to meet Andrea’s gaze, and is rewarded with another low moan. “Fuck, Cloud… That image just might get me through the rest of my life,” he says with a weak chuckle. If it’s even possible, Cloud’s sure that he turns even redder at that. He finally gathers the presence of mind to close his mouth, and he licks his lips and swallows down Andrea’s cum just in time as he squats down to kiss him. Andrea pulls back after a few moments, eyes roaming his face again before meeting his. “Did _you_ enjoy that, sweetheart? It certainly _looked_ like you did.”

Cloud bites his lip and tries to look away, but he can’t go far and suddenly realizes that Andrea’s hand is still tangled in his hair, still keeping his head in place. His eyes dart away as he swallows nervously, but he forces them back to Andrea’s after a few moments and nods as much as he can. “Yeah,” he admits, barely audible, heart still racing in his chest.

“Mmm, good,” Andrea says with a lazy smirk. He leans in for another kiss and finally releases his grip on Cloud, who falls into the kiss and knocks him back onto his ass against the wall. “So did I. Obviously.”

Cloud doesn’t reply for a few minutes, too busy making himself comfortable in his boyfriend’s lap and kissing the living daylights out of him, but he eventually pulls back enough to say, “Then…” He pauses, voice still quiet and hesitant despite the false confidence he tries to inject into it. “Then we should do it again sometime.” His face is on fire; there’s no possible way that he could ever blush any harder than he is right now, but Andrea just grins, and it soothes his nerves a bit.

“Oh, _absolutely_ , darling.” He takes in Cloud’s appearance one more time, and Cloud can’t quite meet his eyes as he realizes that Andrea must’ve permanently etched this moment into his memory by now. Then he sighs and suggests reluctantly, “But I suppose we should get you cleaned up now.”

Cloud nods; his skin is starting to feel tacky and uncomfortable, and he doesn’t even want to imagine what his hair will be like if it’s left to dry. An idea strikes at that thought, and he smirks as he asks, “Wash my hair for me again?”

Andrea makes a face briefly, but it’s replaced with a sweet smile after just a moment. “Of course,” he says, leaning in for another quick kiss. “It’s the least I could do.”

The blond snorts. “I was kidding.”

“Well… I wasn’t.”

Cloud looks to the ceiling, shaking his head. Why the dopey smile wants to appear _now_ , of all times, he has no idea. He lets it happen anyways as he looks back down to Andrea, though. “…Thanks,” he says eventually, climbing to his feet and helping his boyfriend up after him.

“Anything for you, my dear.”


	37. Chapter 37

When Cloud shows up at the inn a few hours after sunset and texts Andrea to come down, he does, albeit with plenty of confusion and skeptical looks at the bike. “Isn’t it a bit late to go out?”

“Kinda the point,” the blond answers with a smirk.

“Hmm?” Andrea’s head tilts curiously. “Where are we headed, then?”

Cloud hands his boyfriend the pack he’s had slung on his back and climbs back onto the Hardy-Daytona. To his satisfaction, Andrea slips on behind him even before he’s answered. “Topside.”

“Oh,” he replies quietly, a bit of surprise in his voice. “So you actually meant it?”

Cloud glances over his shoulder with a small frown before facing forward again and starting the motorcycle up. “I don’t make promises I don’t plan to keep.”

“I know, dear,” Andrea says, leaning over Cloud’s shoulder to kiss his cheek. His voice is lighter as he adds, “But it wasn’t really a promise, and I wouldn’t hold it against you if you didn’t do this.” Cloud just shrugs and pulls out onto the street.

* * *

They search for a grassy spot for quite a while before giving up and stopping at an empty park.

_You_ _’d think Shinra could afford to fake replacements for some of what they destroyed,_ Cloud thinks bitterly as he spreads a blanket out over the dirt. Funny how that voice sounds more and more like his own these days, and less like Barret’s speeches invading his thoughts, uninvited.

He hands over a sandwich and Andrea catches his hand, kissing his knuckles. “Thank you, my darling,” he says quietly. Cloud turns to give him a questioning look and realizes immediately that the thanks isn’t really for the food. He nods and turns away from Andrea’s intense stare, digging through the bag for the rest of the food. “A midnight picnic, hmm?” Andrea asks, his tone lighter, more familiar.

Cloud sits down next to him. “You keep teasing me and I’ll stop doing shit like this,” he warns, though they both know it’s an empty threat.

Andrea laughs and wraps an arm around him, pulling him closer to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. It just always catches me by surprise, somehow.”

“…What does?”

“How much of a romantic you secretly are.”

Cloud rolls his eyes and takes a bite of his own sandwich, focusing on it so he doesn’t have to meet Andrea’s eyes. They eat the rest of their dinner in silence, then toss everything back into the bag and lay out over the blanket, staring up at the sky. The stars seem so bright from up here, even with Midgar’s lights and smog swallowing up some of them.

“I’ve missed the stars,” Andrea confesses in a whisper after a while. As if Cloud doesn’t already know, as if it wasn’t the whole reason he brought him here.

“Yeah,” Cloud agrees quietly. It’s been too long since he’s seen them, and he feels a stab of homesickness stronger than he has in a long while. It’s a tangible pain in his chest, and it brings memories with it—the stars, yes, but everything else from Nibelheim that he misses when he lets himself feel it. (His mother. Snow. The quiet. There wasn’t much else there that he cared about, not really. Nothing else that truly made it _home_ , except maybe Tifa, but she’s the one part of ‘home’ that he got to hold onto, even if it took a few years to find her again.)

“…What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Andrea asks eventually, and Cloud suddenly realizes that he’s been silent for longer than he realized, lost in his own thoughts.

“…I took ‘em for granted,” he admits. “The stars were always there in Nibelheim, and I guess I assumed they always would be.”

“You didn’t have any reason to think they wouldn’t,” the other man replies. He isn’t looking at the sky anymore; he’s rolled onto his side, eyes roaming Cloud’s face as he cups his cheek, thumb stroking over his skin.

He’s got that look again, the one that’s so open and soft (and just a little bit sad, this time) that it hurts to look at, but Cloud doesn’t look away. He meets Andrea’s eyes, forcing himself not to hide. Not to shut down. To return that gift of openness, even if he’s not entirely sure what Andrea’s seeing in his own expression.

Suddenly, he can’t remember what they were talking about, but it doesn’t seem to matter all that much.

Suddenly, any momentary desire he might’ve felt to be back in Nibelheim is all but gone, because there’s nowhere else on the Planet he’d rather be than _right here_ , with Andrea looking at him with an emotion in his eyes that he’s still scared to name and doesn’t have the slightest idea what he’s done to deserve.

After far too long, Cloud turns away, rolling onto his back and turning his gaze to the sky again. Andrea follows his example but stays close, and Cloud curls into his warmth. “Do you know any of the constellations, my dear?” Andrea asks.

“Nah. Do you?” he returns, voluntarily playing into Andrea’s obvious excuse to show off his knowledge of the stars.

“Not really,” Andrea answers simply, startling a too-loud laugh out of Cloud. “What?”

“Nothing,” Cloud says, voice shaking with restrained laughter. “Just—nothing. Never mind.”

Andrea hums dubiously. “I don’t think I believe you, darling,” he says, but Cloud can hear the smile in his voice, can feel his eyes on him again. “But if you refuse to tell me, I suppose there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Mmhmm.”

They fall silent, and Cloud eventually lets his eyes fall shut. Not sleeping, just… resting, listening to the quiet noises of the night around them. At some point, Andrea nudges him and says excitedly, “Shooting star, make a wish!”

Cloud opens his eyes to see, but it’s already gone. He wonders what Andrea wished for.

He doesn’t ask and Andrea doesn’t tell, instead kissing the top of his head and letting the stillness settle in around them again. It’s a long time before either of them breaks the silence again, Cloud asking curiously, “What was it like, living up here?”

“Hmm?” Andrea hums sleepily. “Oh.” He chuckles, making a small, flippant gesture. “Dreadfully boring.”

“But you didn’t really plan to build the Honeybee Inn until you visited Wall Market, right?”

“…Right,” Andrea says, the answer coming much slower than usual.

“So what…” Cloud pauses for a long minute, considering how to word the question. “What were you going to do before that?”

There’s no reply. Eventually, Cloud glances to Andrea, ready to ask what’s wrong, but the words get caught in his throat. The other man’s fallen asleep right where he lay. Cloud huffs out a quiet, fond laugh and sits up to pull Andrea’s bent leg straight. He’d definitely be in pain in the morning if he slept like that. Then Cloud stands to pull out the other blanket that he thankfully thought to bring, carefully maneuvering Andrea’s arm out from under his head. It’s a small miracle that he doesn’t awaken.

Maybe it’s a bad idea to sleep here, and they’ll freeze to death in the night. But he can’t bring himself to wake Andrea up just to drag him back down under the plate, away from the stars.

It’ll probably be fine. Still, he’s as cautious as possible, curling up as close to Andrea as he can get and tucking the thick blanket tightly around them, making sure that his boyfriend’s completely covered from neck to toe. Despite the cold, it doesn’t take long for Cloud to start drifting off, Andrea’s familiar scent and his quiet, rhythmic breathing lulling him to sleep.

* * *

The bright light burning through his eyelids wakes Cloud up, and he glares in its direction for a moment before sitting up with wide eyes. “Andrea,” he says, grabbing for his boyfriend’s hand. “Wake up.” When that doesn’t work, he shakes his shoulder slightly and calls his name again, louder. Andrea hums groggily, a vaguely questioning sound, and Cloud smiles. He presses a kiss to Andrea’s knuckles, squeezing his hand lightly, and says quietly, “I know you don’t like being up this early, but I think you’ll want to see this.”

Andrea opens one eye to peek up at him with a slight pout. “Only for you,” he sighs dramatically before sitting up. He shivers as the blanket slips from his shoulders and the chilly morning air hits his skin. “…Oh.” His eyes are wide as he follows Cloud’s gaze, staring out at the bright colors slowly flooding the sky. He gives a quiet, sad laugh and admits, “I’d nearly forgotten real sunrises have so many colors.”

Cloud has to bite his tongue against the words that he nearly blurts out— _let_ _’s go,_ he wants to say. Just get up and leave Midgar for a while, head to the coast or the mountains or anywhere else that will bring back the brightness in Andrea’s smile. But they have responsibilities here and people who expect them to be around. They aren’t in any way prepared for a sudden vacation, and Andrea would surely balk at the idea of leaving the inn behind with no warning. So instead he asks, “Why do you stay?”

“Hmm?”

“In Midgar. In the slums.” _It_ _’s obvious how much you miss the sky, so why waste away under the plate?_

“Because it’s home,” Andrea says, head tilted like he doesn’t really understand the question. “It’s where the inn is. Where freedom is. Where my family of lovely bees are… Where you are.”

Cloud can’t respond, surprise stealing his breath away and emptying his mind. He nods, like that’s answer enough, like he’d meant to end the conversation there. Then he turns away from Andrea and focuses back on the sunrise. There’ll be opportunities later to get out—to get Andrea out—when it won’t mean abandoning everyone and everything.

For now, staying right where they are a little longer doesn’t seem like such a bad compromise.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned this dumb little outtake/secret ending for the last chapter to the lovely teafaun, and she convinced me to actually write it up, so... Enjoy! XD

"What are they doing in our park...?" The little girl's eyes linger on the men's silhouettes, then dart quickly to her friends' faces.

The boy beside her shrugs, peering around at the jungle gym and other toys. "Dunno. Doesn't look like they brought any kids with 'em."

"...Maybe they're homeless?" the third suggests. "Look, they've got blankets, musta been sleeping out here."

The girl scoffs. "Lookit those flashy clothes. And the _motorcycle_? No way they're homeless!"

"Uh... Guys? ...We should go."

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to pee your pants," she says, giggling into her fist.

"It's just... We're not s'posed to talk to strangers, y'know? And uh..." He falls silent, raising a shaky hand to point to a tree near where the men are sitting.

"Wha--Oh. Oh, that's... That's a big sword."

"I'm with Jaiden, let's get outta here! Maybe we should tell our parents?"

"Maybe we should call the _cops_ , more like!"

* * *

Cloud listens to the sound of small feet pounding the pavement and sighs, stretching as he stands.

"...Cloud? Everything alright?" Andrea asks.

"...We should get going," he answers. No time to explain, and no reason to worry Andrea even if there was.

"Alright then..." his boyfriend agrees, though he still looks confused and a bit concerned. "Maybe we can come back another time, then?"

"...Sure." _Just_ _have_ _to_ _find_ _somewhere a little_ _more_ _private_ _next_ _time._


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More awkward cuts in the middle of scenes, yay! XD;  
> (Smut starts at the second line break and ends at the third.)

“I’m going to be leaving for two weeks soon.”

Cloud feels the gears in his head grinding to a halt at the words. “You’re… Huh?” Isn’t sure why the sentence is so difficult to comprehend, or why it’s so… upsetting. It’s not like he can’t get by on his own. Not like they haven’t been apart for longer before.

( _Not since you_ _’ve been together,_ the traitorous voice in the back of his head reminds him, but that doesn’t matter. _Shouldn_ _’t_ matter. It’s _only two weeks._ )

“Mr. Sorata enjoyed his time here,” Andrea starts. Cloud flushes at the reminder of that night, but Andrea only glances at him for a moment before continuing, “And has accepted our business proposal. So in two weeks—which I _hope_ will be enough time to sort things out here—I’ll be heading up to the plate, to discuss details, designs, compensation, and, most importantly… where it will even be _legal_ to advertise the inn up there.”

“Oh. That makes sense… Okay.” Andrea turns to look at him, and from the furrow of his brows, Cloud instantly knows that he’s being too transparent. He does his best to morph whatever expression he’s wearing back to neutrality and asks, “So you think this is gonna be a big boost?”

“There’s really no way of knowing. It’ll be a first, and I have no idea how it will be received. But I certainly hope so.” Andrea suddenly pauses in what he’s doing, eyes wide. (Cloud actually isn’t sure _what_ he’s doing—frantic pacing and rearranging odds and ends in a way that doesn’t actually seem to be _cleaning_ any of it, is what it looks like.) “Oh! I nearly forgot to give this to you,” he says, digging into his pocket. He holds out his hand towards Cloud, and for a long minute the blond stares uncomprehendingly at the object in his hand, light glinting off of it and making it _look_ nearly as surreal as it _feels_.

“I… what?”

“A key to my apartment,” Andrea answers needlessly. “I had it copied, so… you’re more than welcome to stay here while I’m gone. Or any time.”

Cloud’s eyes jump up to meet Andrea’s at the uncharacteristic sheepishness in his tone. His nervous expression is just… _wrong_ , so Cloud stands to take the key in one hand and uses the other to pull him into a kiss. “Thanks,” he says simply, smiling against his lips.

Andrea returns the smile, shoulders sagging in visible relief, and says, “No need to thank me, my dear.”

Cloud watches Andrea go back to shuffling things around on the dresser and grabs his hand. “Okay, _no_ ,” he says, pulling him out of the bedroom. “I’m not gonna let you sit here and watch you stew and get more anxious about not being able to do anything. So what do you need? Help, or distraction?”

Andrea blinks in surprise, then slowly smiles and squeezes his hand. “Thank you, sweetheart. I’d appreciate both, to be perfectly honest.”

“Right. Office first, then.”

* * *

The next week feels a lot like the one before Cash left, but even _more_ hectic. After a couple of meetings with Andrea, Sophia slips into taking over the administrative side of the Honeybee Inn easily enough. After all, she’s already been handling half of it for a long time now. Manda, on the other hand, struggles with leading rehearsals and preparing for shows. She’s done it a few times before without much trouble, but the bees are near impossible to wrangle now, _frantic_ with the knowledge that Andrea will be leaving them to fend for themselves soon.

“Drama queens,” Manda mutters to Cloud with a fond roll of her eyes after they swarm Andrea, buzzing with anxious questions.

To say that Cloud monopolizes Andrea’s time outside of work would be an understatement, loathe as he is to admit it. They hardly leave the inn (and always together if they do), and the Honeygirls and boys avoid interrupting them as much as possible. (They shoot Cloud plenty of knowing, almost pitying glances, and he hates it. More than that, he hates realizing that he’s exactly as fucked as they all think he is.)

With the countdown looming (seven days left, and _why_ is he so acutely aware of that fact? _Why_ does it matter? It’s _only two weeks_ ), he pulls Andrea backstage after a show, around the corner into an alcove that the bees rarely wander into. It’s terrifying how _right_ it feels to wrap up in each other’s arms, and it’s not the first time he’s thought it, but it _is_ the first time that thought has felt like stumbling down the first stair in an endless flight. Cloud buries it as deep as possible ( _not deep enough_ ). Buries his face in Andrea’s neck. Places a kiss there, and another, and another, before letting his lips wander, up over Andrea’s neck and jaw and chin to catch his own.

Andrea’s hands slide down over his body, lighting sparks under his skin, and settle over his hips, too gentle. Cloud presses in closer, but his boyfriend pulls back after a minute, just enough to suggest quietly, “Perhaps we should move upstairs.”

Cloud nods, but it takes another minute to convince his body to listen, to untangle from the other man and start walking. (At least Andrea seems to have the same issue.) They make it to Andrea’s apartment eventually, though, and Cloud leads him to the bedroom. Drops his hand to step into the en suite for a minute and wipe off the makeup, remove the hair extensions and all the jewelry except the earrings. He isn’t sure why Andrea seems to enjoy watching him both get ready for the day and undo it all, but Cloud doesn’t object when he catches him lingering in the doorway, watching him in the mirror. When he’s done he turns back around, catching Andrea’s hand again as he leaves the room and pulling him to the bed. Andrea sits down and slides back to lean against the headboard, and Cloud crawls into his lap. Isn’t sure why Andrea still looks at him like _that_ even when his face is scrubbed red and raw, but tries to kiss the smile off his face anyways. (It doesn’t work.)

Cloud slides in closer, chest-to-chest, but it still isn’t close enough. Kisses Andrea in a slow slide of lips and tongue that sets his heart racing, but it still isn’t enough. It never is, and it’s goddamn _unfair_ the hold Andrea has on him without even trying, the way he’s burrowed so deep under his skin.

How hard he makes it to breathe.

How it feels like drowning.

How drowning in him is a death Cloud would happily accept.

Cloud doesn’t realize he’s staring until Andrea’s fingers twitch against his neck, until Andrea tilts his head in a silent question. “It’s nothing,” he lies. “Nothing important.”

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I?” Andrea whispers with an amused smile. “You’re not as good at lying as you think you are, Cloud. But if you don’t want to tell me, then you only have to say so.”

“…Not yet,” Cloud compromises, his voice coming out a bit shaky.

Andrea nods easily but resists when the blond tries to lean in again, holding him away far enough to let his eyes wander over his face. “Beautiful,” he murmurs, and the blond feels a small shiver run up his spine. “I know I say it often, but I hope that doesn’t diminish its meaning in your mind. I mean it completely, every single time.” Cloud shakes his head silently. Andrea’s had him pinned for too long, knew his weakness even before they were together. But he has a sudden flash of memory, of the first night he’d come just to watch Andrea perform, and remembers that he isn’t the only one who’s affected by praise and pretty words.

It’s not like he hadn’t meant every word he’d said that night, but at the same time, it had all been part of a game. And watching Andrea now, with his soft smile and softer kisses, Cloud’s heart aches and flutters in his chest like it has a life of its own, and he suddenly desperately wants to give Andrea even a _fraction_ of that feeling. So he presses their lips together again, slow and sweet, taking the moment to gather his nerves, and says slowly past the lump in his throat, “You are… amazing. Caring, and attractive, and… dedicated in everything you do. Observant… strong… clever, and patient.” He chuckles, trying to hide his terrified breathlessness. It’s almost funny how exposed he feels when he’s not even the one being scrutinized. “ _So_ patient, god. Even when I fuck up, even when I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing or how a relationship is supposed to work... _Thank you_.”

Cloud rests their foreheads together, closes his eyes against the weight of Andrea’s, and squeezes his boyfriend’s hands, interlacing their fingers. Andrea squeezes back and says quietly, voice tinged with surprise, “Thank _you_ , Cloud. That’s… far more than I deserve, but thank you.” He swallows audibly, then releases one of Cloud’s hands to brush his knuckles over his cheek. “As for what you’re ‘supposed to’ be doing... _Nothing_. Just… be yourself, and do what feels right, and if something happens then we’ll work through it _together. That_ _’s_ what a relationship is about.”

Cloud gives a tiny huff, smiling. “Right.” Figures _that_ would be the part he focused on. But when Cloud opens his eyes again, he can tell from the look in Andrea’s that the rest definitely wasn’t ignored.

* * *

Cloud tilts his head to kiss Andrea, relieved when he doesn’t stop him again. Slips his tongue between Andrea's teeth as he melts against him, as close as he can get and still wanting more. There’s a familiar heat simmering low in his stomach, has been for what feels like forever (doesn't _really_ ever goes away when they're together), but it takes a backseat to the simple pleasure of kissing Andrea, of watching his eyes flutter shut and feeling his hand clench in his own. He hardly even registers it until Andrea’s free hand drifts down from his neck and over his back to paw at him. Until he jerks in surprise and Andrea makes a quiet noise against his lips, hips twitching. Then it’s suddenly all that he can think about, the fact that he can feel Andrea’s erection pressing against his ass, the fact that Cloud’s already half-hard himself, the fact that the dress he’s wearing is suddenly stiflingly hot and there are far too many layers between them.

Andrea opens his mouth, and for a moment it looks like he might apologize, so Cloud crashes their mouths together to stop him. Does his best to make it perfectly clear how much of a problem it _isn_ _’t_. Runs a hand over Andrea’s body and wraps the other around his neck to keep him close. Kisses him until they both run out of air, and when they _do_ finally have to part, he grinds down against Andrea, a quiet gasp leaving his lips. “Want you to—to fuck me,” he murmurs. Not sure whether it’s better or worse wording than the thought that he trips over, catches before it can escape from his brain and out of his mouth.

A breathless laugh escapes Cloud’s throat at the sight of Andrea’s wide, stunned eyes. “You—?”

“Yeah,” Cloud confirms, voice low. _Gaia,_ he’s been thinking about it forever, and he might’ve blurted it out without thinking (which is really becoming a horrible, embarrassing habit), but he’s sure as hell not gonna take it back now that it’s out. He drops his head to Andrea’s shoulder and huffs out a laugh. “Shit,” he mutters, rocking against him again. “ _Please_ tell me you have lube.” _Please tell me you want this too._

Andrea nods wordlessly, and Cloud feels a brief stab of satisfaction at finally managing to shock him into silence. It doesn’t last long, though, of course. Andrea sits up straighter and starts, “If you’re—”

“ _Yes_ , I’m sure,” Cloud cuts him off, rolling his eyes, but his voice is a bit too breathy for what he’s aiming for. “Wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t.”

Andrea takes a deep breath that Cloud can feel under his hand, and then another, and then smirks, composure apparently regained. “Alright then, lovely… Clothes off.” He watches with lidded eyes as Cloud swallows and nods, pulling the dress over his head to shimmy awkwardly out of it. “Stockings and underwear, too.”

Cloud rolls his eyes again at the demanding tone, doing his best to ignores the way his stomach swoops. “Was getting to it,” he mutters. He stands to pull them off and Andrea follows after him, digging through the bottom drawer of the nightstand for a few moments before tossing a bottle onto the bed. Cloud slides up behind him, wrapping his arms around Andrea and slipping his hands under his shirt.

“Mm, hello there, sweetheart,” Andrea says, turning his head for a kiss. “What’re _you_ after?”

“You, naked,” he answers bluntly, grinning when it startles a chuckle out of the other man. He pulls his shirt up and Andrea lifts his arms obligingly, shivering slightly when Cloud tosses it to the floor and kisses his shoulder blade. Smirking, he murmurs into his skin, “Pants and underwear, too.”

“Was getting to it,” Andrea retorts with a grin.

Cloud slips away to let him finish undressing, sitting back down on the bed and just enjoying the view. _God_ but Andrea’s gorgeous. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of watching the light play over all that lean muscle, the grace in every tiny movement he makes, the confident smirks that say he knows _exactly_ how good he looks. “C’mere,” Cloud murmurs, too soft for what it should be. He crooks a finger and Andrea leans over him, planting a knee on the bed between his legs. Cloud wraps a hand around Andrea’s neck and tilts his head up to kiss him soundly.

When Andrea pulls back, it’s only to gesture with his head and say, “Up on the pillows for me, sweetheart?”

Cloud nods and slides himself up the bed to lie properly, and Andrea follows after, lying out over him. Cloud’s hips twitch and he hisses at the sudden friction, eyes fluttering shut. Andrea's lips press against his and then drag across his cheek to a spot under his ear that makes him shiver. His weight shifts slightly and Cloud feels his hands dragging down over his chest and stomach to wrap around his cock, stroking slowly. Cloud's breath catches, caught by surprise, the sensation stronger than usual. It isn't until he's reaching blindly for Andrea and barely catches his arms that he realizes his eyes are still closed. He opens them and pulls Andrea back down against him, spreading his legs to cradle him between them. “C’mon, what are you waiting for?” he asks, but once again it comes out too soft, not quite the complaint he was looking for.

Andrea just smiles and gives him a quick kiss. “Patience,” he teases against his lips, but Cloud hears the cap of the bottle being opened. A few moments later, Andrea’s pushing his legs up and kissing him deeply again. Meant to be a distraction, probably, but Cloud’s attention is zeroed in on Andrea’s finger circling his entrance. “Relax,” he murmurs, “Can you do that for me?”

Cloud barks out a laugh but tries, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Trying to let his muscles loosen despite the instinct to tense up more than ever. It takes a few tries but eventually works, and he inhales sharply as he feels the tip of Andrea’s finger press inside.

“There. You’re doing so well for me, baby,” Andrea says, voice low as he kisses his way down the column of Cloud’s neck. A ridiculous laugh bubbles up in Cloud's throat, but it dies when Andrea pulls back to look at him with actual _pride_ and heat in his eyes. He pumps his finger slowly, pushing in a little bit farther each time, and Cloud does his best to stay relaxed. To ignore the discomfort and _strangeness_ in favor of anticipating the pleasure that will come when it passes. (Easier said than done, really.) He pulls Andrea back down to his mouth, and after a few minutes, the other man asks, “Can I add another?”

Cloud nods, a quiet huff escaping as Andrea’s finger leaves him. ( _Strange_.) Andrea adds more lube and then the pressure is back, two fingers pressing in slow and careful, and Cloud finds himself clinging to Andrea’s shoulders as he breathes through it. He grunts, and Andrea pauses, but he just shakes his head. “Just feels… _weird_. ‘S okay.”

Andrea chuckles but nods and keeps going. Eventually he asks, “Have you ever done this for yourself?”

“…Once or twice,” Cloud admits, eyes darting away for a moment before he forces them back to Andrea’s. (This distraction works _slightly_ better than the last, but he’s still hyper-aware of Andrea’s movements, of the _pressure-discomfort-not-quite-pain._ ) “…But I couldn’t—” Andrea must know what he’s about to say, because he smirks suddenly, pressing in deep and crooking his fingers, and Cloud practically _yelps_. “Sh-shit!”

“What was that, sweetheart? Sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted you like that,” Andrea murmurs, smug as all hell.

Cloud would retort if he could talk, could do anything more than pant and clutch at the sheet and Andrea’s shoulder, if Andrea would just pause and let him _breathe for two fucking seconds_. “F- _fu_ —” He cuts himself off with a moan, biting his lip to muffle it, but Andrea just gently pulls it from between his teeth with his thumb.

“Don’t hide that lovely voice of yours from me, darling,” he says, eyes roaming the blond’s face. “I want to hear you.”

A quiet whine of protest catches in Cloud’s throat, but he nods, rolling eyes refocusing on Andrea. Finally his boyfriend stops teasing him in favor of spreading his fingers, working him open, and Cloud catches his breath for just a moment before dragging him down into a messy kiss. It doesn’t last long, Andrea dragging his fingers over his prostate every once in a while just to watch him jolt, to hear him whine and moan.

When he’s finally stretched him enough to add a third, Cloud stifles a pained noise against his lips and Andrea instantly freezes. “Okay, darling?” he asks.

Cloud nods, but takes a deep breath and tries to relax again. Not the easiest thing at the moment, overwhelmed in every way possible, but he manages it somehow, and Andrea gives a pleased hum. “’M fine.”

“You’re sure?”

He nods again; it’s still not _too_ bad, and surely the pain will pass. “Keep going.” He meets Andrea’s eyes, and the other man nods and continues, pumping his fingers more slowly and pulling out of Cloud’s reach when he goes for another kiss. “You don— _hah!_ ” Cloud exhales sharply, biting his lip hard when he glances down to where Andrea’s suddenly taken his cock into his mouth. His hips roll instinctively, and Cloud shakes with the effort of forcing them still. “Don’t have to— _fuck, Andrea!_ ”

Andrea doesn’t give him a chance to pull himself back together, to catch his thoughts again, just immediately takes Cloud’s cock as deep as he can, swallowing around him. He curls his fingers over the bump of his prostate at the same time, and Cloud keens, dropping back against the pillow and giving up on speech entirely. The wet, obscene noises that fill the room are impossible to ignore, and Andrea only ever pulls away long enough to breathe, intent on _ruining_ him.

By the time Andrea’s satisfied that he’s prepared enough and is done tormenting him, Cloud is panting, hips rocking up into Andrea’s mouth and back against his fingers as much as he can manage. He huffs, unable to get any leverage; it’s _not enough_. “Just _fuck me_ already, Andrea,” he growls, half plea and half threat.

Andrea pulls off of him with a quiet noise and smirks, licking his lips. “Well, since you asked so nicely,” he teases, eyes flaring at the whimper Cloud makes when he slips his fingers free.

“Passed ‘nice’ about ten minutes ago,” Cloud retorts. He tries for a scowl but fails, a breathless, giddy laugh escaping. “Gaia…” he gasps, “I swear, Andrea, you’re gonna be the death of me.” Andrea doesn’t answer, but Cloud hears crinkling and glances down to find him tearing open a condom wrapper. He grabs for his arm reflexively, then catches himself and lets go with a grimace. Andrea gives him a questioning look, but he just shakes his head, a silent, _Never mind._

Andrea rolls the condom on and coats his length generously with lube, then sits back on his heels and looks Cloud over. Voice suddenly serious, he says, “I want this to be as pleasurable and pain-free as possible for you, my darling.” Cloud props himself up on his elbows and nods to show that he’s listening, and Andrea smiles and takes his hand. “As much as I’d love to have you just like this, face-to-face, there are a few ways that would be easier. On your hands and knees, perhaps, _or_ … You could ride me.”

Cloud’s breath catches, cheeks burning. The way Andrea’s eyes narrow makes it clear which option he’d prefer, and Cloud’s definitely on the same page. He swallows and sits up. Stares at Andrea for a few endless moments before tugging lightly at his shoulder. “…Lay down,” he mumbles, and Andrea grins and sinks down on his back.

“Well, now, this _is_ a lovely picture,” he murmurs as Cloud straddles him, hands braced on Andrea’s chest to support himself. His hands slide up and down the blond’s thighs, soothing as he gathers himself.

Cloud ducks his head, taking a few deep breaths before he looks up again to meet Andrea’s eye. He rocks against him a few times, savoring the quiet rush of Andrea’s breath and the way his lashes flutter. Then he lifts up onto his knees a bit higher and Andrea, reading his movements, positions himself at Cloud’s entrance. The blond pushes back again, slowly, eyes falling shut. He pauses once the head of Andrea’s cock is in him, breathing jagged.

“Take your time, love,” Andrea murmurs, caressing Cloud’s face and carefully remaining still. His hands drift to the blond’s hips after a moment to help support him, fingers squeezing in time with tiny hitches of his breath, and it’s so painfully clear to Cloud that he’s holding back.

He nods and takes a bit longer before opening his eyes. He takes a deep breath and lets it out, rocking up and then back down a bit farther, and again, and again, until finally he’s seated fully in Andrea’s lap. “ _Fuck,_ ” Cloud mutters, head dropping again and fingers clutching at Andrea. His eyes are watering, he realizes with some shock, and he’s not sure whether it’s from the pain or the pleasure or just from being completely _overwhelmed_ both physically and emotionally.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Andrea asks worriedly, brushing a lock of Cloud’s sweat damp hair out of his eyes.

Cloud nods, chest rising and falling rapidly as he gulps down air. “Yeah, just…” he pants, “Just… gimme a minute.” He feels so fucking _full,_ and it _hurts_ but at the same time, _holy hell_ it’s everything he wanted. A part of him wants to ignore the pain, to push past it and just let Andrea fuck him into oblivion, but the tiny bit of his rational mind that still has some control says that’s probably a very, very _bad_ idea that he’ll regret later (if not _immediately_ ).

Andrea’s hands are rubbing at his thighs again, and he’s watching his reactions carefully, concern written all over his face. “You’re doing so well for me, Cloud. Gaia, I—”

Cloud leans down to cut him off with a kiss, gasping into his mouth at the sudden movement. “Sh-shit…” He steals another kiss, and then one more for good measure, before he starts to slowly sit back up. Andrea raises his hands, and Cloud frowns in confusion for a few moments before huffing out a short laugh. He takes them in his own, fingers interlocking, and lets him be a support, a brace, as he pushes himself upright. He rises up and sinks back down on Andrea’s cock slowly, shuddering and clenching around him as the pain gradually fades and starts to give way to a creeping, burning pleasure.

He shifts bit by bit, biting his lip and searching for that perfect angle, but it still catches him off guard when he finds it. Sparks shoot up his spine and Cloud gasps, muscles seizing as he drops backward. He manages to free one of his hands to catch himself on Andrea’s thigh, but not in time to prevent his fall, to stop him from impaling himself on Andrea’s cock. His mouth falls open on a silent shout, and Andrea sits up halfway before stopping, scared to move too much. “Shit, Cloud! Sweetheart, are you okay?”

Cloud nods and takes a shaky, gasping breath. “Y-yeah, I—It’s—” An awkward chuckle bubbles out of his throat and he nods again. “’S good.”

Andrea’s chin drops to his chest, the sound that leaves him breathy and relieved. “Gaia, Cloud, you scared me.”

“Not gonna kill me. You’re big, but you’re not _that_ big,” Cloud retorts, covering up the sudden rush of embarrassment at his own words with a laugh. Andrea echoes it and squeezes his hand. Cloud pushes at his shoulder after a few more seconds, and he raises an eyebrow but falls back against the pillows obligingly. The blond nods in satisfaction and, keeping one hand on Andrea’s thigh for support, starts riding him again. Long rolls of his hips turn into small circles when Andrea’s cock drags against his prostate again, the instinct to chase his own pleasure too strong to ignore. “A— _ahh_ —” Cloud arches, eyes rolling as he speeds up.

“That’s it, Cloud,” Andrea murmurs, hips twitching up in tiny, aborted movements. He moans loud and low as Cloud clenches around him, and grabs for him again. Not controlling, just… holding him. Feeling the muscles shifting under his skin as he moves. “God, you’re incredible. You feel so good, baby, so—ngh, f-fuck—so tight and perfect around me,” he babbles, groaning at the twitch of Cloud’s cock and the strangled sound he makes. “Wish I could take a picture right now, hold onto the memory of that gorgeous bliss on your face forever. Can y—?”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Cloud groans, rocking faster against Andrea. His arms shake, nearly giving out from under him, and he whines as it breaks his rhythm. “ _A-Andrea_ —!”

Andrea’s there instantly, hands clutching to his hips tightly as he takes over, directing his movements. He pulls Cloud almost entirely off his cock, a guttural sound leaving him in response to Cloud’s protesting whimper. Then he pulls him back down, hips thrusting up to meet him, and Cloud shouts his name again. “Touch yourself, Cloud,” Andrea says, his voice nearly a growl, but Cloud shakes his head frantically, hands scrabbling at Andrea as he squeezes his eyes shut again. “Wh—?” Andrea cuts his own question off, moaning as the answer hits him. “You gonna cum on my cock, baby?”

Cloud whimpers again, as much embarrassment as arousal, but nods. Fuck but it’s so unbelievably hot, Andrea completely controlling him and his pleasure. He could stop right now, keep him still and helpless, and Cloud _could_ fight it but god, he _wouldn’t._ “P- _please_ ,” he breathes, the thought sticking now that it’s there. “Please don’t stop, An—” Andrea thrusts hard up into him and he cuts himself off with a gasp. Andrea _doesn_ _’t_ stop, just moans and fucks Cloud down on him faster and harder, until Cloud’s helpless to stop the constant stream of noises that leave him, helpless to do anything but _take_ it. He feels his orgasm approaching quickly, can feel the trembling and erratic thrusts that signal Andrea’s nearly there, too. “ _Andrea,_ ” he says, the end of his name drawing out into a moan. “I—I’m gonna—”

“That’s right, sweetheart,” Andrea says, voice strained. “Let go for me.” Cloud jerks, entire body tensing and eyes flying wide as he cries out and spills over Andrea’s stomach. Andrea’s not far behind, Cloud echoing his moan as he feels his cock throb, hips still twitching up into him as he rides it out.

“…Fuck,” Cloud pants, laughing weakly, hands dropping to Andrea’s chest to support himself again as the other man sprawls bonelessly. Andrea murmurs an agreement, and neither of them moves for a long minute as they catch their breath. Eventually, he slowly lifts off Andrea with the other man’s help and flops onto the bed on his back. “Shit,” he mutters, throwing an arm over his eyes. Andrea makes a questioning sound, but he doesn’t answer, a stupid grin taking over his face as he takes stock of the aches that are already starting to make themselves apparent as the adrenaline and endorphins wear off. He’s definitely going to feel it in the morning. “C’mere,” he says quietly, holding out an arm. Andrea tosses the condom in the trash and rolls back to him, letting Cloud curl him up against his chest and run a hand through his hair. (It’s long enough now for that, just barely, and the realization makes Cloud smile. It’s no wonder Andrea enjoys doing this for him so often. It’s just as calming from this side, and the quiet noise of contentment Andrea makes reminds him of a cat purring.)

“I’m sorry,” Andrea murmurs into his skin.

“For what?” Cloud asks, brows furrowed in genuine confusion.

“I was too rough with you. Wasn’t thinking clearly and didn’t control myself,” he answers quietly. He presses a kiss to Cloud’s shoulder and peeks up to meet his eyes. Andrea looks so genuinely apologetic and upset with himself, but Cloud can’t help it; he laughs.

“Are you kidding?” Cloud asks in response to Andrea’s bewildered expression, his cooling skin rapidly heating again. “Don’t apologize, that was—I mean, yeah, I’m gonna be a little sore in the morning, but— _shit_ ,” he cuts himself off with a laugh, gaze directed at the ceiling. Andrea’s amused face enters his line of sight for just a moment, and then he’s kissing him. Even the kiss feels like an apology.

“Still. I should have at least checked if you were alright with it. I'll be more careful in the future.”

Cloud huffs. “It's _fine_. More than. Go to sleep,” he says, returning to carding through Andrea’s hair.

* * *

For about ten minutes, Andrea is so quiet that Cloud thinks he’s actually listened and fallen asleep. Then he props himself up on an elbow to look down at Cloud and says out of nowhere, “Tell me about your exes.”

Cloud raises an eyebrow. “This your idea of pillow talk?” he asks, equal parts confused and amused.

The other man shrugs. “I just don’t see the point in avoiding these things, and now is as good a time as any. I want to learn _everything_ about you, and I’m not going to be jealous of people from the past. In fact, I’m grateful for them,” he says, reaching to brush Cloud’s hair out of his face and caress his cheek, “Because they shaped who you are today.”

Cloud snorts, but closes his eyes and leans into the touch. “Well, you’re going to be disappointed, then. Nobody ‘shaped me’; you’re the only person I’ve been with. In any sense of the word.” For some reason, it’s embarrassing to admit aloud and makes him feel half his age. He manages to resist the urge to throw his arm over his face to hide it, but only because there’s a chance he’d end up elbowing Andrea in the face with how close he’s hovering over him.

Andrea blinks in surprise, but his smile doesn’t falter. “Alright, then… How about crushes or unrequited loves? You don’t have to date someone or sleep with them for them to leave a mark.”

“I had a crush on Tifa when we were younger,” he admits, cringing at the memory. He’d acted like an idiot around her a lot; it’s a miracle they’re even friends now.

“She’s a magnificent young lady, and I’m sure she was then too, to be able to earn your affection.”

Cloud nods, barely registering Andrea’s words as his mind wanders. “And there was…” He trails off, brows furrowing. _Who_ _…?_ He places a hand over his heart, which aches like an old wound reopening. “There was somebody else, too. I think she was really important to me, but I can’t…” _She?_ he wonders. That doesn’t seem quite right, but it _has_ to be, because he never even realized he was bi before Andrea… Right?

“That’s alright, dear,” his boyfriend soothes with a small, sad smile. “Occasionally it’s better to block out painful memories.”

Cloud shakes his head, still feeling like there’s an itch he can’t scratch in his brain, but he distracts himself by asking, “What about you?”

“Hmm… I flitted from one crush to another as a kid,” Andrea admits with a laugh. “But the only serious relationships I ever had were with Ren when I was a teenager, and Niles for a few years in my early twenties. She was a sweet girl who was always ready for a new adventure and loved the stillness of the city at night; he made me laugh more than anybody else could and was the first person I truly fell in love with.”

“A few years?” Cloud echoes, shoving down the fear and jealousy that try to claw at his chest. Andrea nods and hums in thought before holding up three fingers. “What happened?”

He shrugs. “What happens to most relationships, romantic or not. We were both busy and slowly drifted apart. And when he moved to continue his schooling, we agreed that it would be for the best if we broke it off rather than try to make a long-distance relationship survive. He’s… I told you that I can’t hear thunder without thinking of the past?” Andrea pauses, waiting for Cloud’s nod before his eyes dart away. “Niles is the reason why. I’m not sure there was anything in the world he loved more than storms; he’d walk outside and just stand there with his arms out, grinning like a child even though he was getting soaked to the bone,” he finishes with a quiet, pained laugh.

There’s _something_ hidden in Andrea’s tone, something that makes him ask, “…You still love him, don’t you?” As soon as the question leaves his mouth, he regrets it.

“I think the people we love hold a piece of our hearts forever,” Andrea answers with a sad smile. It brightens a bit as he falls back onto his pillow and adds, “But if you’re asking if I’m still stuck on a long-dead relationship, then the answer is no. No need to worry; I only have eyes for you, darling.”

“Wasn’t worried,” he says, and it’s only a partial lie. “I’m…” Andrea hums questioningly when he trails off. Cloud averts his eyes, staring at the ceiling as he finishes quietly, “I’m glad you had people who made you happy.”

He catches Andrea grinning out of the corner of his eye, and then he’s propped up over Cloud again. “ _You_ make me happy,” he says, leaning down for a kiss.

“You’re such a sap,” Cloud counters, but he kisses him again before pushing him over with a laugh.

He doesn’t say, _You make me happy too._ He doesn’t say _You make me forget how to breathe sometimes,_ or _I think I_ _’d be a different person, a colder person, if I hadn’t met you,_ or any of the other thoughts that fill his head. He knows they’ll come out twisted, sarcastic and defensive the way his words always seem to. … _Not yet._


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some awkward conversations and bad jokes, baby! XD  
> Oh, and some cute shit, I guess ;)
> 
> (Brief smut from the first to second line breaks.)
> 
> ETA: This fic is going on a long hiatus. Or maybe being discontinued. Idk. I just know that it's a pretty big part of my mental health taking a very, very steep dive and I'm honestly not okay. And as much as I loved this fic when I started and some part of me still does, most of me just feels like it's an absolute disaster and wants to burn it to fucking ashes lately. So to the handful of you that are still reading these updates, I'm sorry, but it's time to set this aside for a while.

So _maybe_ it’s a little worse than Cloud thought. And maybe his legs are shaking when he gets out of bed and makes his way to the bathroom. He wouldn’t care all that much, though, if it weren’t for the fact that he can _feel_ Andrea watching him. Worrying needlessly for him. He doesn’t get up to try to help, though, thank god. Cloud’s not sure he could take that humiliation. He’s perfectly capable of getting there himself… even if it means trying to look subtle about clutching tight to the door frame and counter.

He uses the restroom and cleans himself up before heading back to curl up against Andrea. His boyfriend looks like he’s considering something very carefully, but whatever it is, Cloud wishes he would just stop thinking and go to sleep. He’s sure it’s something he doesn’t want to deal with right now.

“So… I suppose we should have discussed protection earlier,” Andrea starts. He’s smiling as always, trying to be comforting, but his voice is serious.

Cloud cringes. “…Right.” He was right, then. Probably a necessary conversation, but definitely not one he _wants_ to have, at least not right now. (And do they _really_ need to? He’s pretty sure they’ve already been irresponsible and skipped straight past some things, so is the serious talk _really_ necessary _now?_ )

“I assumed you would feel more comfortable using it, but… in case I was wrong about that… I got tested after I stopped taking clients. I _am_ clean.”

“Right,” Cloud repeats awkwardly, rolling away from Andrea to sit up against the wall. He’s starting to wish he was dressed for this conversation; Andrea exposes and sees through him easily enough without adding _physical_ exposure to the mix. “And I… _haven_ _’t_ been tested, but. Well. Obviously.”

Andrea frowns, and Cloud has one of those flashes he occasionally gets—stark reminders that Andrea’s actually more than a decade older than him, and infinitely more experienced with sex and, in a lot of ways, the world in general. “Being a virgin isn’t a _guarantee_ , Cloud…” he says slowly.

Cloud stays silent, unwilling to admit that he doesn’t know what Andrea’s talking about, but silently he’s cursing the small-town mentality and education he grew up entrenched in.

“Yes, it means you’re _probably_ fine, but there _are_ other ways to get some STIs. At birth, even, if—” he cuts himself off with a shrug when the blond’s eyes narrow at him, and yeah, Cloud gets the idea. As much as he’d like to believe that his mother was clean when she gave birth to him, it’s not like he can exactly _ask_. (Or like he _would_ if he _could_ … There are some things you just don’t talk about with your parents, and he’s pretty sure that’s one of them even for people who _didn_ _’t_ grow up as sheltered as him.)

“…Right,” Cloud says yet again, grimacing at himself. “So… I’ll get tested, then.”

“Just to be certain,” Andrea assures him, squeezing his hand.

Cloud nods in acknowledgment. (Definitely another thing he’s _not_ looking forward to, but then, neither is the barrier of a condom between them every time they have sex.) “And when I do…”

“Assuming the results come back fine… Then we can do whatever you want,” he says with a slight smirk. “ _If_ you want,” he corrects himself, and Cloud swallows harshly.

“…I do,” he confesses quietly, as if Andrea hasn’t already figured that out. As if he didn’t catch Cloud trying to stop him. Andrea just nods and wraps an arm around Cloud’s shoulders, pulling him closer again and kissing his temple.

Cloud closes his eyes and sees the countdown he hates caring about start up again in his mind.

* * *

On the day that Andrea’s supposed to leave, Cloud awakens to movement and panic, eyes flying wide open as his nightmare quickly fades from memory. Andrea cringes and tries to roll away from him, but freezes when Cloud’s hand flies out suddenly to grab his arm. He stills, waits until the blond registers who he is and where they are. After a minute, Cloud’s breathing slows again and his grip eases. “Sorry.”

“That’s alright, dear.”

With the sense of danger gone, Cloud’s attention is drawn to other things—particularly the erection pressed against his thigh. That certainly explains both the subtle movements that had woken him up and the sheepish look on Andrea’s face. “Mm… Good morning to you, too,” he murmurs, smirking.

“Sorry, baby, didn’t mean to wake you,” Andrea says. He presses kisses to Cloud’s cheek, his temple, his forehead, the tip of his nose.

Cloud raises an eyebrow. “Might be weirder if you didn’t,” he points out, tipping his head up to catch Andrea’s lips.

“Fair point.” Cloud pushes his leg up slightly, smirking when Andrea gasps at the sudden friction. “Mm… Sweetheart, you shouldn’t do that. Was trying to be polite, but you’ll make me want to take you right here and now.”

“Who says I don’t want that?” the blond asks, tugging Andrea’s bottom lip between his teeth.

“Fuck, Cloud…” Andrea mutters, head dropping to Cloud’s shoulder. He grinds down against his thigh again and they both groan. “Not fair what you do to me, I swear…”

“Thought we were talking about what _you_ do to _me_ ,” Cloud retorts, laughing when Andrea groans again, much more exasperation than pleasure. Just to hear it again, he cocks an eyebrow and fails to restrain his laughter as he adds, “Maybe you’re rubbing off on me too much.” Despite his narrowed eyes and head shake, Andrea’s smiling as he crawls to the edge of the bed to dig the lube and condom out of the drawer.

Cloud shivers and pulls Andrea back over him to soak in his warmth. Andrea stares at him for a few moments, opens his mouth, and then closes it again. Noses at that spot behind Cloud’s ear and kisses his jaw instead, then obeys the little nudges from Cloud and makes his way back to his lips. Grins back when he feels the blond smile into it, sees the quiet sparkle in his eyes. Doesn’t move on until Cloud hitches a leg up around him, silently urging him to continue.

He preps Cloud slowly and carefully, constantly kissing and caressing him, and it’s a little easier than the first time. Even when Andrea finally pushes inside him, Cloud just grins through the sting and kisses whatever he can reach—Andrea’s lips, his forearm where it rests on the pillow to support him, his ear when he hangs his head on a low moan. It doesn’t take long for the pain to fade, but still they rock together slowly, both still only half-awake. Cloud arches on a gasp, rubbing against Andrea, and Andrea takes the (unintentional) hint. Wraps a hand around Cloud’s cock and pulls in time with his thrusts. Neither of them lasts long, burying their moans in each others’ mouths as they cum.

After he’s tossed out the condom, Cloud just silently tugs Andrea back down to the bed and cuddles up to him. He can only hope that actions speak where words keep failing him.

* * *

It’s been a while but he’s not asleep, not quite. Just basking in the warmth and the good kind of soreness and exhaustion. Lying with his head on Andrea’s chest and their legs tangled together. Listening to his heartbeat, familiar but not familiar _enough_ yet. Tracing meaningless shapes over Andrea’s stomach while Andrea cards his fingers through his hair. Breathing slow and deep and enjoying the quiet, intimate moment. Debating whether to try and go back to sleep for a few more hours, or make the most of the time left before he has to take Andrea to the train station (a compromise, when Andrea refused to let Cloud drive him up to the plate).

Andrea’s hand pauses in his hair suddenly. “Cloud?”

“Mm?” he hums absently.

“I love you.” Cloud jolts up to stare at him, suddenly wide awake. He isn’t sure what his face is doing—not even sure what his _emotions_ are doing, torn between happiness and shock and some kind of deep-seated terror—but it must be something amusing, because Andrea chuckles quietly and holds up a hand to stop whatever words might try to make their way out of his mouth.

“It’s okay,” he assures with a fond smile that says he actually means it. “I don’t expect you to say anything. I just wanted you to know. Life’s too short to let these things go unsaid.”

Cloud’s brows furrow. He knows he should say something, despite Andrea’s assurances, but he doesn’t know _what_ he wants to say. And even if he did, his voice is caught in his throat right alongside his thundering heart. So instead, he pushes upright to hold Andrea’s face between his hands and kisses him, long, sweet presses of lips and tongues. He moves on to Andrea’s nose and cheek, then wraps his arms around his shoulders and just holds him close. The fear passes surprisingly quickly, though the shock remains. “…Thank you,” he eventually manages to whisper into Andrea’s ear. He bites his lip and holds back the sob that wants to escape. Funny how even joy can make you feel like your heart’s being torn in half. Feels kinda like his stomach’s been turned inside out, too.

Andrea smiles, holds him and nuzzles against the side of his face. “Don’t thank me for something that was inevitable,” he says quietly.

All Cloud can do is shake his head and cling tighter, swallow down the fresh wave of emotion that rises up. _I don_ _’t deserve him,_ he thinks, not for the first time. But suddenly he realizes that it doesn’t _matter_ , because Andrea _chose_ him— _loves_ him even, somehow. Whether or not he _deserves_ Andrea is irrelevant; he already _has_ him. And he won’t throw that away for all the world.

Andrea waits a few minutes before asking with some amusement, “Are you going to let me go any time soon?”

“No,” Cloud answers petulantly, though he’s sure the other man can feel the grin buried against his neck.

Andrea shifts, and for a moment Cloud thinks he’s just going to push him off, but he just settles in more comfortably against the headboard. “Alright then.”

* * *

They do have to move eventually, though Cloud stalls for as long as possible. At some point he has to get up, though, or risk making Andrea miss his first meeting with Sorata. It’s not something he’s willing to do when he knows how hard Andrea’s worked for this chance, regardless of how selfish he’s feeling. So he takes a deep breath and stands up to get ready. Andrea watches him curiously, sliding to the edge of the bed but not yet getting dressed himself.

Digging through the closet, Cloud’s surprised to find a plain white half-sleeve top and a peach pleated skirt that he’d nearly forgotten about. From that first day, when he’d gone shopping with Aerith, he realizes. He’d been so nervous about it, had decided that it was something to work up to. But now, after some of the other things he’s worn, it doesn’t seem _nearly_ so daunting. Hard to even remember why it had in the first place.

So he changes into the outfit and slips on a matching pair of strappy heels before stepping out of the closet to look in the full-length mirror on the bedroom door. He does his best to ignore Andrea still leaning back on the bed and watching him.

Cloud stares at his reflection for a long moment and remembers why he’d been so hesitant. He frowns and brushes at the skirt, which only reaches to mid-thigh and puffs out stiffly. It does absolutely nothing to flatten the way the skirt falls or make it appear any longer. “…Feel like a goddamn cheerleader,” he mutters.

Andrea smirks, head tilting as he eyes Cloud up and down. “Well now, _there_ _’s_ a thought…”

“Don’t even,” the blond warns. “ _Not_ happening. _Ever._ ” (No denying to himself that the look in Andrea’s eyes and his own reflection in the mirror plant _images_ in his head, though, even if he’ll never admit it aloud.)

“Alright, alright,” Andrea concedes with his hands raised, though he’s still smirking like he can see straight inside Cloud’s mind. He stands up and rummages through the closet for a minute before coming out dressed in a midnight blue suit. He lifts his arms in question and does a slow circle, and Cloud can only stare for a minute.

“Looks good,” he says, meeting Andrea in the middle of the room to kiss him. An understatement, but what he doesn’t say is that it feels almost… _wrong_. That he’d much rather see Andrea’s eccentricity and showmanship shining through in his clothes than see him standing stiffly in a suit that it looks like he was stuffed into against his will. It doesn’t matter what he thinks, though, and it’s not what Andrea needs to hear right now, so he shoves it down and only gives the other half of the truth. “Really good.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Andrea says, giving him another quick peck. He tilts his head curiously as he pulls back. “Feel like wearing any makeup today?”

“Dunno. Why?”

“If you did, I was hoping maybe you’d let me do it for you again.”

Cloud only has to consider it for a moment, an unexpected smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He nods. “Sure.” Cloud leads Andrea out to the vanity, flipping on the lights around its edges as his boyfriend pulls up another chair beside it. Cloud pulls everything out of the drawers and sits down, facing Andrea with his eyes closed. It’s easier to relax this time as he gets to work. Soothing, even, as he feels Andrea’s careful touches and the brushes lightly running over his eyes and cheeks. He still doesn’t really _get_ it, but getting ready on days that he wants to dress up has become something of a ritual since Andrea started watching him, and it’s certainly not one that Cloud minds letting him in on. They’re approaching the end of the routine when Andrea suddenly snickers, and he opens his eyes to give him a questioning look.

“Which one’s the kiss-proof one?” Andrea asks with a smirk, hand hovering over the handful of lipsticks and glosses and balms.

Cloud drops his head with a quiet snort. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” Cloud rolls his eyes but points to the tube of lipstick from Cash, and Andrea grins and snatches it up. “Done,” he says cheerfully once he’s finished, “But I think we’d better test that claim, don’t you agree?”

“Of course,” the blond says, holding back a laugh. “Can’t have companies _lying_ about their products, can we?”

“Definitely not,” Andrea agrees before suddenly wrapping an arm around Cloud’s waist and tugging. Cloud stumbles the half-step between them and lands in Andrea’s lap, hands on his shoulders to catch his balance. Andrea kisses him once, then twice, and the third lasts a bit longer before he pulls away reluctantly. “Well,” he says quietly, staring up into Cloud’s eyes, “I think it’s true. But I wouldn’t want to risk messing up the rest of your makeup after all that.”

Cloud’s about to argue when he suddenly remembers that they’d already been running a bit short on time. He glances to the clock and swallows before pushing himself to his feet. “And it’s about time to get you to the station, too,” he says, even though he’d like nothing more than to continue distracting Andrea until his train’s long gone.

“I suppose so.” Andrea pats at Cloud’s bare thigh with an unconvincing smirk and says, “Go finish getting ready. I’ll get my shoes on and find your keys.”

Cloud groans and makes his way to the bedroom, kicking the heels off as he goes. At least Andrea had caught it before they left, even though _he_ completely forgot. “On the island!” he calls over his shoulder as he digs through the dresser and pulls on his leggings. He holds up a hand as he exits the bedroom and catches the keys Andrea throws across the apartment, then slips his shoes back on. “Ready?”

Andrea nods. “I think we’ve put this off as long as we possibly can,” he says with a chuckle. Cloud gives a half-smile and nods in agreement, and they leave without another word.

The drive to the station is quiet, and too short. The train is already there when they arrive, ready to leave in just a few minutes. Cloud knows he should leave Andrea with some kind of meaningful words, but he can’t think of a single thing to say, mind a blank, staticky haze—and not because of the headaches and ‘memories,’ for once.

Andrea doesn’t seem to mind much, just falls into his part easily and does enough talking for both of them. He repeats the mantra Cloud’s been replaying over and over again in his head; “It’s only two weeks.” He whispers, “I’ll call you when I get there,” and “I love you,” and kisses him, and then he’s gone. Disappearing onto the train and leaving Cloud alone with his thoughts for the first time in what feels like forever.

It’s a fucking mess inside his head, thoughts jumbled and so many things gathered in there that he’s been setting aside.

He hates it.

But maybe it’s about time to start sorting through it all.


End file.
